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US-DIPLOMACY-GREENLAND
Pompeo puts off Greenland stop in second cancellation in week
COPENHAGEN, May 9, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on
Thursday put off a visit to Greenland, citing pressing business in Washington
— just two days after he also ditched a trip to Germany to fly to Iraq amid
soaring tensions with Iran.
Pompeo was scheduled to visit Greenland’s capital Nuuk and to make a
second stop to see New York Air National Guard troops deployed to assist
climate research, part of a push to show the US commitment to the Arctic.
But State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Pompeo was postponing
the trip “due to a need for the secretary to be in Washington” on Thursday.
“We look forward to rescheduling the secretary’s visit at a time
convenient for Greenland, Denmark and the United States,” she said.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, whose foreign minister,
Anders Samuelsen, had also been set to meet Pompeo in Nuuk.
A senior diplomat in Greenland, Kenneth Hoegh, earlier told AFP that
Pompeo’s visit was being postponed. Greenland’s government in a statement
said it was informed that “urgent matters” required Pompeo in Washington.
The trip comes amid a spike in friction with Iran, after the United States
announced the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and nuclear-
capable B-52 bombers to counter what it alleged were imminent Iranian
threats.
Iran on Wednesday said it would no longer abide by some limits under a
2015 nuclear accord, a year to the date after President Donald Trump pulled
the United States out of the deal and instead slapped sweeping sanctions.
On Tuesday, instead of flying to Germany, Pompeo made an unannounced
detour to Iraq — where Iran has a major influence — and said that the
country’s leaders had promised to protect US interests.
Pompeo’s tour of Greenland was meant to have closed out a four-day visit
to Europe that started in Finland, where he attended a meeting of the eight
members of the Arctic Council.
While sceptical about fighting climate change, Pompeo noted that new sea
routes were opening in the usually frozen Arctic — and challenged the role
of China in seeking interests in the region.
Pompeo spent Wednesday in London where he discussed the tensions with Iran
and delivered remarks on religious freedom, one of his key priorities.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1153 hrs