February 13, 2004
Disgraced Gagliano recalled from Denmark
Alfonso Gagliano, Canada's ambassador to Denmark, was formally relieved of
his diplomatic duties on Tuesday.
The dismissal came just before Canada's federal auditor submitted a scathing
report on Gagliano's role in a corruption scandal that unfolded during his tenure
as federal minister of public works.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa issued a brief statement on the
dismissal, which reads, "Alfonso Gagliano's appointment as Ambassador to
Denmark has been withdrawn. Mr. Gagliano has been asked to return to Canada."
February 13, 2004
Greenland provides
gold for royal rings
Jørgen Wæver
Johansen, Greenland's minister for self-government and mineral resources, declared
it was "truly a historic moment for Greenland," as he picked up royal
wedding rings made from Greenland gold in Rio Narcea, Spain, this week.
The rings, made from the
first gold mined in Greenland since the introduction of home rule in 1979, will
be the wedding bands for the Crown Prince of Denmark and his wife, Mary Donaldson,
when they are married in May.
February 13, 2004
U.S. presses Danes
on Thule base
Negotiations on a strategic
upgrade of the U.S. base in Thule are turning into a battle of nerves, says
the Danish newspaper Politiken.
With the U.S. eager to
nail down the first stage of its missile defence program before next November's
presidential election, it's pressing Greenland and Denmark to finalize an agreement
to upgrade Thule.
But Greenland wants compensation
for the upgrade, a demand which the Americans have categorically rejected, fearing
a wave of similar demands from other countries that host U.S. military bases.
"For 50 years, they've
kept a base here for free. It's about time they gave us something," said
Lars-Emil Johansen, Greenland's former premier and a current member of the home
rule parliament.
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