The task force will strengthen Danish competence in the area and can be applied at Greenland or in international tasks in the Arctic, newspaper Politiken reports with reference to Belingske Tidende.
The higher focus on the Arctic is part of the Danish defence plan for the period 2010-2014 approved by Parliament, the Folketinget, on 24 June. The plans reads that “the growing activity level in the Arctic will change the geostrategic importance of the region and gradually result in more challenges for the Danish armed forces”.
According to the plan, an additional 600 million DDK is to be spent annually on the country’s armed forces in the period, the Danish Defence informs on their website. Parts of those money are likely to be spent on a military strengthening of Greenland.
Denmark also considers to apply fighter jets in monitoring operations and sovereignty protection at and around Greenland. The country might also consider to give the Thule Base a more central role in cooperation with partner countries.
The enhanced focus on the Arctic is not all well received. Former head of the country’s Greenland Command, Axel Fiedler, believes Denmark has started an unnecessary militarization of Greenland, Berlingske Tidene writes. He fears that the Danish military investments in the area will give both Canada and Russia arguments for similar investments in their respective Arctic regions. As previously reported by BarentsObserver, a Russian document on state policies in the Arctic includes a higher military focus on the area. Also the recently adopted Russian National Security Strategy includes a high focus on the Arctic.
Russia has stressed however that it is not seeking to militarize the region and that international law must persist.
