Lawmakers in the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland have officially approved a trilateral agreement with Denmark and the United States, supposedly aimed at bolstering security across the Arctic and North Atlantic regions. The deal passed with a 16-0 vote, while seven lawmakers chose to abstain from the process. The controversial agreement was initially signed back in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York by US leader Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

The ratification followed months of intensive behind-the-scenes negotiations, conducted amidst growing friction and unease over repeated threats from the US regime to seize the vast, resource-rich Arctic island. Greenlandic Foreign Minister Mute Egede stated in a social media post that the ratification marks another significant step for the self-governing island, acknowledging that the path to this juncture was exceptionally difficult for the local population as they navigated intense geopolitical pressures.

The newly approved pact paves the way for the establishment of additional US military bases on Greenlandic soil. Furthermore, it permits the US regime to 'modernise and expand' its strategic operations at the Pituffik Space Base, a remote military installation situated in northwest Greenland. Under the terms of the arrangement, Greenland will technically remain under Danish jurisdiction, but the pact would continue to apply even if the island eventually chooses complete independence. Danish lawmakers are scheduled to debate the agreement later this month, while the US side requires no formal approval from the Senate.

Source: www.aljazeera.com