Washington:
Usha Vance, the wife of the American vice-president JD Vance, will travel to Greenland on Thursday, while President Donald Trump will hold on to the idea of an American annexation of the strategic, semi-autonomous Danish territory.
She will visit Greenland with an American delegation to visit historical locations, to learn about the heritage of the territory and attend the national dog sled race, the White House said in a statement. The delegation returns to the US on March 29.
White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will visit an American military base in Greenland as part of the trip, an American officer said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump has made our annexation from Greenland a big conversation point since he took office on the second time on January 20. The strategic location of Greenland and rich mineral resources can benefit the US, which lies along the shortest route from Europe to North America, of vital importance for the American ballistic rocket warning system.
The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have expressed opposition against such a movement.
The Greenlandse Government, which is currently in a caregiver period after a general elections of 11 March that has been won by a party that promotes a slow approach to independence of Denmark, did not respond to requests for comments.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a written comment that responded to news about the visit that is “something we take seriously.” She said that Denmark wants to collaborate with the US, but it must be collaboration based on “the fundamental rules of sovereignty.”
She added that the dialogue with the US with regard to Greenland would take place in close coordination with the Danish government and the future Greenland government.
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