Greenland Parliament Backs US-Denmark Security Deal in 16-0 Vote

Greenland's parliament on Tuesday approved a security agreement with Denmark and the United States that opens the way for more U.S. bases on the Arctic island. Lawmakers voted 16-0, with seven abstentions, according to both The Associated Press and Al Jazeera.

The deal does not take effect yet. Danish lawmakers are scheduled to debate it later this month, and the text says it enters into force only after the required parliamentary steps in the Kingdom of Denmark, together with Greenland, are finished.

What did Greenland's lawmakers approve?

They approved a three-way agreement meant to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. The AP reported that the vote came after months of pressure from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called for Greenland to become part of the United States. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally of the U.S.

According to the AP, the goal is to expand the U.S. military presence on Greenland while keeping the self-governing island under Danish control. Al Jazeera reported that the deal also lets the U.S. upgrade and enlarge its activities at Pituffik Space Base, a remote American military installation in northwest Greenland.

Who signed it, and when?

Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the agreement in September. The signing took place on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Al Jazeera reported that it followed months of behind-the-scenes negotiations amid rising tensions over Trump's repeated threats to seize the resource-rich island.

What does it say about Greenland's future status?

Greenland stays under Danish control under the terms described by both outlets. The agreement would also continue to apply if Greenland eventually chooses independence. That provision means the security arrangement is not tied to the island's current political status.

How did Greenland's leaders react?

Greenlandic Foreign Minister Mute Egede called the ratification another important step for the island. In a Facebook post quoted by Al Jazeera, he said the road to this point had been difficult for the people of Greenland. He said they had held to their basic principles, chosen dialogue and taken responsibility for the country's interests. He described the vote as being about security and about Greenlanders' “right to shape our own future.”

The reported tally shows the vote was not unanimous in support. All 16 votes cast were in favor, and seven lawmakers abstained. The sources do not report why those lawmakers abstained.

Why does it matter?

The vote eases a standoff that had unsettled Greenland, according to the reports. Al Jazeera noted that Trump's refusal to rule out a military invasion last year caused fear among Greenlanders, and that opinion polls showed most of them rejected U.S. control. The AP said the agreement reduces tensions over Trump's calls for the island to join the United States.

Greenland is the world's largest island, with a population of 57,000, and lies between Europe and North America. For its residents, the deal sets out how U.S. forces may expand on the island while it remains under Danish control. For the U.S. and its allies, it provides a framework for a larger American military footprint in the Arctic and North Atlantic.

What happens next?

Danish lawmakers are due to debate the agreement later this month. Their approval, together with Greenland's, completes the process the text requires before it enters into force. Al Jazeera reported that no approval is needed from the U.S. Senate.

Around Prague, based on reporting by ABC News, Al Jazeera