A majority in parliament is prepared to allow the mining and export of uranium in Greenland, whose self-directed wish. A historic shift in Danish foreign policy expert.
Latest News 27th January KL. 13.17
Kingdom of Denmark may be on its way to becoming one of the world's largest exporters of the radioactive substance uranium.
After 25 years of opposition to nuclear power and uranium contamination is a majority in parliament for the first time prepared to repeal the so-called zero tolerance for uranium.
If Greenland requests, the possibility thus opened to mining in the world's fifth largest uranium reserves, Kvanefjeld, located in southern Greenland.
S and R will not stand in the way Uranium will arrive with the product, if you want to extract a number of valuable and strategically important metals such as cell phones. Uranium is used both for nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. And because of its security policy significance, Denmark must take the oath before a ban can be lifted.
Socialists and the Radicals will not stand in the way of a Greenlandic wish - as long as international treaties on the control of uranium observed.
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"Socialists are in favor of the conventions must be observed. But what conventions allow for the lawful exploitation and legitimate trade and distribution - it can exploit, "said Greenland spokesman Flemming Møller Mortensen (S). The same approach is adequate for Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (S), learns Politiken.
The radicals are on the same line. "You should go positively into it. We'll be back in a very strange Danish role if we block a Greenlandic desire, "said foreign affairs spokesman Rasmus Petersen (R). The political majority is assured through support from the bourgeois parties except the Left.
Pending statement In the spring, handing the Greenland Mineral Resources Directorate a statement to determine any uranbrydnings impact of such public health and the environment. If it contains more annotations, one arrives at a majority of the Greenland Parliament for uranium mining.
These are the three parties Siumut, Atassut and Democrats, while parts of the Inuit Party IA still oppose.
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Deputy Authority Chairman Jens D. Frederiksen (Democrats) will have time in recovery, if it turns out to be harmless.
"We are in favor of actual uranium mines, as long as it is done in a proper manner and in cooperation with Denmark. If anyone else can sell uranium, we might as well also do so. There is good economics in it, "says Jens B. Frederiksen, who consider it" very likely "that zero tolerance will be repealed after the next election, which takes place later in June.
Danish passivity An acceptance of radioactive substances within the commonwealth can change Denmark's international position, assess uranium expert Cindy Vestergaard of the Danish Institute for International Studies.
"This is a huge turning point in the kingdom's foreign policy. If zero tolerance is abolished the Denmark catapulted into the world's nuclear circuit as one of the most influential voices in the nuclear field, "she says.
However, Denmark has for years failed to prepare for a situation where in the commonwealth can be broken and exported uranium.
Error in DEA The kind requires extensive control of the hazardous substance does not fall into the wrong hands. But even if the Parliament in 2004 to accede to the key, so-called Additional Protocol, which aims to improve transparency, the case was shelved in Copenhagen.
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The International Atomic Energy Agency has every year since 2007 officially urged Denmark to put things in order. Nothing has happened. The fault lies in the DEA, where director Ib Larsen acknowledges that Greenland has been overlooked through five years.
"There's been a mistake down the line, and we can of course not live with. But it will now be put right. "
The Danish passivity drawers Greenland's mineral resources minister, Ove Karl Berthelsen (IA). "It's obviously unfortunate and unfair that nothing is done about it."
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