BRUSSELS, Jan 8 (KUNA) -- The European Commission called on Wednesday for the respect of state sovereignty in response to comments made by US President-elect Donald Trump about his desire to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Anitta Hipper, the spokesperson for the European Commission, said during a press conference held at the Commission's headquarters in Brussels, "for us, it is clear that the sovereignty of states must be respected.
These are our democratic values." She added that the European Union looks forward to working with the incoming US administration toward "a strong transatlantic agenda and toward common goals and issues of key strategic interest." The European Commission spokesperson also confirmed that any military action against Greenland would trigger the mutual assistance clause in Article 42(7) of the EU Treaty.
On Tuesday, Trump declared that owning and controlling Greenland is crucial for US national security, refusing to rule out military action in this regard.
Trump's comments sparked widespread criticism from Denmark and France, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noأ«l Barrot stating today that the European Union will not allow other countries to attack its "sovereign borders." Greenland is not part of the European Union, which comprises 27 countries, but it enjoys special status as an overseas territory, which includes access to EU funds and freedom of movement for Greenlanders, who are considered EU citizens. (end) arn.mb