Clinton in Denmark to promote green works

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 31 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thursday, meeting with government leaders and kicking off a green technology initiative.

During remarks, Clinton noted Denmark's leadership in energy conservation, its military influence and its status as an "important, albeit small, country," The Copenhagen Post reported.

The Green Partnerships for Growth is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, the business confederation Dansk Industri, and AmCham Denmark. The project's goal is to facilitate events designed to link U.S. and Danish public sectors with the experience, knowledge, products and services of green-growth companies."

She also spoke of Europe's economic crisis, the Post said.

"It is for Europeans to determine the way forward," Clinton said. "In hard times, people can be led to hunker down or even build walls, to go back to the old divisions that for so long bedeviled Europe. But a country's strength depends in part on the strength of your neighbors."

During an interview with a Danish news station, Clinton said the United States faces a "great dilemma" concerning Syria.

She said without the support of the United Nations -- particularly Syrian ally Russia -- any unilateral military action by the United States was unlikely; however, she expressed hope that the United Nations would present a united front in its approach to Syria.

"Every day that goes by makes the case stronger [for U.N. support of an intervention]," Clinton said. "We have to bring the Russians on board because the dangers we face are terrible."

Clinton also praised Denmark for its "progress, strength and accomplishment."

Clinton met with her Danish counterpart Villy Sovndal and Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt.

Clinton will speak on global health issues Friday in Oslo, Norway.