The hypothesis that he United States can get their hands on Greenland through a Treaty of Free Association (COFA), such as those currently in force with Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau. This type of agreement requires these countries to allow the USA to operate without restrictions on their territory in exchange for essential services protection and free trade. The prerequisite for signing such an agreement, however, is that the island becomes independent of Copenhagen an objective which, with different nuances, is already shared by a large part of the world Greenlandic political class. This was explained by Alex Gray, Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, during a hearing in the United States Senate dating back to February 12, when Donald Trump, having returned to the White House, began to threaten an annexation of Danish territory.
The hearing was designed to examine thestrategic importance of Greenland for the economy and American national security and had paid particular attention to the rare earth reserves of the island, on the presence of US research centers and on the potential threats due to the growing influence of Russia and China in the Arctic. Washington’s desire to increase its military presence in Greenland, for now limited to the Pituffik Space Force base, is not the most relevant aspect, since the 1951 agreement between the USA and Denmark already allows the Americans to operate freely. What interests the USA above all are the colossal ones nature reserves of the island and the increasingly important role strategic who will earn when he melting of Arctic ice will open new ones trade routes.
The proposed options: US territory or Cofa
Gray had proposed the status of as possible options USA territorythe same one that Puerto Rico has, or, in fact, a Covenant of Free Association (COFA). The minimal U.S. financial support to COFA nations is similar to assistance provided to other foreign countries, which does not include social security programs accessible in U.S. territories such as Medicare, Social Security, and food assistance. Additionally, COFA nations cannot offer their residents the US citizenship. However, a necessary prerequisite for a Pact of Free Association is that Greenland obtains theindependence from Denmarka prospect that Gray, in his speech, had taken for granted, in the medium term.
The position of the Greenlandic secessionists
The idea of a Pact of Free Association had also been raised by some Greenlandic secessionist parliamentarians like Kuno Fencker, who has contacts with Republican Party circles. “We don’t want to be like Puerto Rico or any other territory of the United States,” Fencker told Politico, instead saying he was in favor of “a Pact of Free Associationbilateral agreements or other means that perhaps I cannot imagine.” “Let the Americans come to the table and the Greenlanders will decide with a plebiscite“Fencker concluded.