Canada, Denmark deepen defence ties after Greenland annexation threat
CBC
Canada and Denmark signed a defence co-operation agreement on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, setting the stage for a deeper partnership after the Trump administration threatened to annex Greenland.
The agreement was signed by Defence Minister David McGuinty on Friday.
Originally Prime Minister Mark Carney was supposed to be present and have a one-on-one session with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen. But Carney opted to remain in Canada following the school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.
Denmark has sought to bolster the defences of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory, in light of the annexation threats of the United States. In tandem, NATO this week launched what's being called the Arctic Sentry initiative, which will co-ordinate military exercises and the alliance's response to threats in the region.
"Canada is an Arctic nation — and we will defend the North," McGuinty said in a statement following the signing in the southern German city.
"Today, this defence co-operation agreement with Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands strengthens our collective deterrence and our ability to operate seamlessly with our NATO partners in the High North. Today, we send a clear message — the Arctic is secure, and we will keep it that way."
The co-operation agreement is not a formal treaty and doesn't commit Canada to defending Danish sovereignty over and above the commitments that already exist under NATO's Article 5, that an attack on one is an attack on all.
Senior federal officials, speaking on background at a technical briefing this week, said the new agreement captures and improves upon many of the aspects of defence co-operation that already exist between Canada and Denmark.
For example, Denmark contributes a significant number of troops to the Canadian-led NATO multinational brigade defending Latvia. Separately, the Danish defence acquisition ministry is a big customer for Canadian-made assault rifles, signing last September a multimillion-dollar contract for 26,000 C-8 MRR (modular rail rifle) carbines.
The agreement signed Friday increases co-operation in the areas of surveillance and joint operations, the Danish Ministry of Defence said.
Senior Canadian officials, who spoke earlier in the week in a briefing intended to set up the prime minister's trip, said negotiations toward the agreement predate U.S. President Donald Trump's drive to annex Greenland.
"The text of the agreement has not changed" as a result of the increased tensions over Greenland, said one senior official.
Trump has long had an interest in asserting U.S. "ownership and control" over the Arctic island, saying it was an "absolute necessity" for national security.
The U.S. administration reportedly ordered plans for a "possible invasion," prompting Denmark and eight NATO allies to deploy defensive forces to the Arctic island.
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