Denmark hails 'positive' US meeting on Greenland

COPENHAGEN:

Denmark's foreign minister said Thursday he was "more optimistic" after technical talks kicked off with the United States over Greenland.

"We have had the very first meeting at senior official level in Washington yesterday regarding the Greenlandic issue," Lars Lokke Rasmussen told journalists at an EU meeting in Brussels.

"It went well in a very constructive atmosphere and tone, and new meetings are planned. It's not that things are solved, but it's good."

The trilateral talks come after US President Donald Trump last week backed down from his threats to seize the autonomous Arctic territory of EU and NATO member Denmark.

"There was a major detour. Things were escalating, but now we are back on track," Rasmussen said. "I'm slightly more optimistic today than a week ago."

Meanwhile, the Danish royal house also announced Thursday that King Frederik X would travel to Greenland on February 18 to show his "concern" for the island's inhabitants.