TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has welcomed the news that US President Donald Trump has scrapped planned tariffs on nations that oppose his plans to annex Greenland.
"It is very welcome that there will now be negotiations to find a way forward on Greenland and that President Trump has decided not to impose tariffs on a number of EU Member States, the UK and Norway,” the Taoiseach said in a statement his morning.
Earlier this month President Trump announced plans to impose 10% import taxes on eight countries, namely Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, The Netherlands and Finland, who are against his plan to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory located in the Arctic.
The tariffs were due to take effect from February 1.
The President claims the US needs control of the nation for defence purposes, despite both the US and Denmark being members of the NATO military alliance.
This week Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Britain, The Netherlands and Finland all deployed military personnel to Greenland while the US’s bid to acquire the densely-populated island - which has untapped natural resources including oil, gas and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) – continues.
President Trump announced the new tariffs in response to that move, which he further threatened would rise to 25 per cent from June 1 and would remain in place “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland”.
However, the President has since abandoned the idea, following a meeting with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Last night he claimed the pair had come to an agreement over a potential deal on Arctic security.
"We have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” he said in a post on social media.
"This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all Nato nations,” he added.
"Based upon this understanding, I will not be imposing the tariffs that were scheduled to go into effect on February 1.”
The Taoiseach said Ireland is now keen to work with its fellow EU members on how best to strengthen relations with the US.
"I have always been clear that tariffs are bad for everyone – bad for jobs, bad for growth - and their imposition would severely damage transatlantic relations,” he said.
"I look forward to discussing with my fellow EU leaders how best use can now be made of this space for dialogue and how we can work to advance the EU-US relationship.”
He added: "It remains a vital relationship, one that has helped underpin decades of stability and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Mr Martin also reiterated Ireland’s position that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.
"The EU remains united and firm in its insistence that the future of Greenland is a matter to be determined by Denmark and by the Greenlandic people, in line with well-established democratic principles and international law,” he said.
"Protecting the sovereignty of EU Member States, our values and our economies, as well as the much valued transatlantic relationship, will continue to be our goal,” he added.
See More: EU, Greenland, President Trump, Taoiseach, Tariffs
