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COPENHAGEN, Oct 14: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that \u201cmassive oil, gas and mineral exploration\u201d was set to begin on \u200cGreenland, a contentious statement on a territory that has resisted his efforts to control it and has banned new drilling for crude.<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump described the Danish Arctic island which is run by a semi-autonomous government as \u201cour new and beautiful Greenland\u201d in a social media post that hailed what he \u200bsaid were US gains from a security deal signed in September.<\/p>\n The Greenlandic prime minister\u2019s office declined to comment on \u200bTrump\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n The Danish foreign ministry and Greenland\u2019s ministry of mineral resources did not immediately respond to \u2060requests for comment.<\/p>\n TRUMP HAILS US SECURITY GAINS<\/strong><\/p>\n Greenland has been caught up in a confrontation with Trump who has been saying since \u200b2019 the US should buy or take the strategically located and mineral-rich island for security reasons. On several occasions, he refused to rule out \u200bforce.<\/p>\n Along with Denmark, the US and Greenland reached an agreement last month to allow the US to boost its military presence on the island \u2013 a deal that had appeared to settle the standoff.<\/p>\n The agreement did not allocate any rights for mining or drilling.<\/p>\n \u201cMassive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration \u200bis getting ready to begin,\u201d Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are Experts that are saying \u200bthat the amount of easily available Oil is far greater than that of almost any land, anywhere in the World,\u201d he added without \u200cnaming any \u2060specific deals or specific development.<\/p>\n Greenland banned uranium mining in its territory along with all future exploration of oil in 2021.<\/p>\n The government has said it is reviewing whether a Texas firm, Greenland Energy, can use permits predating that prohibition.<\/p>\n The company said in August this year it had plans to drill for oil in 2027 at an untested basin on Greenland\u2019s east coast, although it lacked \u200bits own permit to do \u200bso. The previous owner, ARCO, \u2060spent heavily on seismic work in the 1970s but never drilled.<\/p>\n Independent Danish security policy advisor Jacob Kaarsbo said Trump\u2019s comments could be seen as a sign that his desire to control \u200bGreenland remained unchanged.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is extremely dangerous to view this agreement between the Trump administration and \u200bDenmark as something \u2060that has altered Trump\u2019s intentions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The 10-page deal between the US, Denmark and Greenland paved the way for two new military bases and Trump\u2019s \u201cGolden Dome\u201d missile defence system, while reaffirming Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders\u2019 right to self-determination.<\/p>\n \u201cAny future attack on the United States will have to \u2060come across \u200bGreenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any \u200bother form of weapon not yet even conceived,\u201d Trump said in his post on Wednesday.
\u201cIt gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the \u200bWorld!\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n