The mayor of Avannaata Municipality, Lars Erik Gabrielsen (S), informed Sermitsiaq on Tuesday that he will not meet with Donald Trump's envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, or his travel companion, doctor Joseph Griffin, who is currently in Nuuk.
The announcement is a source of joy for the opposition party Demokraatit in the municipal council of Avannaata Municipality:
- It is a relief that he has decided not to meet with them. In the current situation, we believe that we should be careful, Heidi Møller (D) tells Sermitsiaq and continues:
- While our country is under pressure from the USA, we do not believe that the time has come to approach that country. It is not because we want to limit who the mayor can meet with, but I think it is more sensible in the current situation not to get too close to the US and the envoys.
Democrat: Will be very risky
Mayor Lars Erik Gabrielsen has previously spoken positively about Donald Trump's proposal to send an American hospital ship to Greenland with help. Heidi Møller does not believe that it is appropriate to approach the US.
- Naalakkersuisut works a lot with pressure (from the US, ed.), and therefore I believe that it is very risky if we as individual municipalities, in addition to Naalakkersuisut's work, start approaching in a completely different way.
- We must therefore be aware of how we speak out on behalf of the municipality, says Heidi Møller, second deputy mayor of Avannaata Municipality.
