Trump's Greenland threats cast a shadow on Iceland's vote on whether to trigger

The "no" camp moved ahead early on Sunday (Aug 30) in partial results of Iceland's referendum on whether to start accession talks with the European Union, broadcaster RUV reported.



Based on the first 152,000 votes counted of an eligible 270,000, 50.1 per cent were against the government's proposal to restart negotiations, while 49.9 per cent were in favour, RUV reported.



The referendum was held in the shadow of US President Donald Trump's threats to control nearby Greenland.



If voters reject the proposal, that's it, for a generation at least.



A yes vote would trigger the start of a negotiating process with the EU's executive branch, the European Commission, that will involve discussions on 35 areas, from the economy to human rights.



Perhaps, most importantly for Iceland, its fishing stocks in the rich North Atlantic waters will be up for discussion, and not everyone is happy about that. But some also believe the European Union could offer protections if Trump were to ever make similar threats on Iceland.



Nearby Greenland casting a shadow over referendum