US to expand military presence in Greenland under three-way deal

The US, Denmark and its self-governing territory of Greenland on Tuesday signed an agreement in New York to expand US military presence on the strategic Arctic island.

US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the deal at a ceremony on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The United States can modernize and expand its activities at the existing Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and establish "an additional defense area at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig." The pact also permits US aircraft to fly over and land anywhere in Greenland, including its territorial waters, and US public vessels may have undersea access and movement within those waters, without restriction except as mutually agreed upon by the parties.

It bars non-NATO states from establishing manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland, or maintaining a persistent military presence there, unless otherwise agreed.

It also restricts states or investors from outside NATO, NATO partner countries and the EU from gaining control, significant influence or access to non-public information that could threaten national security or public order in sensitive sectors or activities on the island.

The deal came after months of pressure from Trump, who repeatedly called for acquiring the self-governing Danish territory and did not rule out military or economic means.

The proposal drew strong opposition from NATO allies and Greenlanders.

Under a 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the United States, amended in 2004, the US military has rights to station personnel and to build, maintain and operate facilities in designated defense areas in Greenland, including Pituffik Space Base.

The new agreement enters into force once the Kingdom of Denmark, together with Greenland, has completed the necessary parliamentary procedures and delivered a diplomatic note informing Washington.