The Faroese parliamentarian, Aksel V Johannesen, Mette Frederiksen and the chairman of the Greenland Government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, are now holding a press conference from the Faroe Islands after a meeting of the security committee.
Today there was a meeting in the Foreign, Security and Defense Policy Contact Committee, and following that meeting, the three government leaders Aksel V. Johannesen, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen are now holding a press conference.
The lawyer from the Faroe Islands starts:
– I am happy to stand here with my colleagues, says Aksel V. Johannesen.
– We have had open and honest discussions that you can only have with your closest colleagues, he says.
Agreement on good discussions
Shortly afterwards, the Danish Prime Minister takes the floor to say something introductory
– We meet more and more often because we live in a more turbulent world, says Mette Frederiksen.
– We must stick together in Europe, in NATO and of course also in the Nordic countries, says Mette Frederiksen.
The Chief of Defense has participated for the first time ever, and that is because the world is troubled, emphasizes the Danish Prime Minister.
– And we from the Danish side are willing to do more with Arctic Package Two, which is on the way now, says Mette Frederiksen.
The chairman of the Greenland Parliament also votes unanimously.
– The discussions today also focused on the modernization of the Kingdom of Denmark. Political will for constructive solutions, and I am happy about the dialogue about finding constructive solutions, says Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Questions about secession
The first question comes from a Faroese media outlet asking Aksel V. Johannesen about secession.
– We still want a community with Denmark, but we do not have powers in foreign policy areas – especially in economics, where we are vulnerable and have difficulty with trade agreements.
Mette Frederiksen takes the floor and says, following the Faroese parliamentarian:
– I have great respect for people wanting to develop their own country on their own terms. That is why we have taken a number of important steps in that direction recently, says Mette Frederiksen, referring to the Arctic Council and the Nordic Council.
– It is not Greenland or the Faroe Islands that want it to change, but it is the Kingdom’s wish that the two countries should have a different role in the Nordic Council.
Has Trump sparked the development?
Jens-Frederik Nielsen is asked whether Trump has initiated the development of Greenland.
He doesn’t answer directly, but says:
– Denmark is ready to invest more, and it is an expression of a responsibility that has not been lifted enough for many years. There is great inequality, and a social standard that is not equal.
– Greenland wants to develop itself, its economy, have a stronger foundation. That is also what is being talked about now.
The three leaders were asked if they could be more specific about what the collaboration should look like in the future, but the answer from the three leaders was unanimous.
– There are good discussions going on, but we are not negotiating in front of the press.