Nuuk ire at Greenpeace rig move

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY SLIM ALLAGUIThis picture taken on May 29, 2008 shows fishermen in Ilulissat Icefjord, western Greenland, a UNESCO World Heritage site. With the race for Arctic riches steaming ahead, the region's indigenous Inuit are raising their voices and demanding that Arctic nations stop stealing their land and respect their way of life, their tradition view being that land is a natural resource to be shared. Arctic waters could hold 25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and gas, according to a Survey, and scientists say the Northwest Passage could open up to year-round shipping by 2050. AFP PHOTO/SLIM ALLGUI

Offshore Greenland: Government condemn Greenpeace protest.

Slim ALLAGUI

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Anthea Pitt

 31 August 2010 17:55 GMT

Greenland's government today blasted Greenpeace after activists boarded a drilling rig operating for UK explorer Cairn in the Disko West area and halted work, branding the action illegal.



The Greenlandic government’s statement echoed earlier comments made by the Danish Navy.

“This is clearly an illegal act, ignoring the rules of democracy. At the same time it is a severe breach of security conditions, meant to protect the lives of people and the environment,” Greenland premier Kuupik Kleist said in a statement.

"The ongoing drilling has therefore stopped and once again Greenpeace has succeeded in stopping the possibilities for Greenland in the effort to secure the economical basis for living conditions for people."

The Greenpeace action is designed to disrupt Cairn's…

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