Greenland's new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Sunday that US comments about the resource-rich Arctic island were inappropriate, adding that Greenland “will never be a property that can be bought.”
Mr Nielsen made the comments despite US President Donald Trump's interest in controlling the strategic territory as he stood next to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on the second day of a three-day official visit. Greenland is a semi-autonomous region of Denmark.
“The negotiations with the United States were disrespectful,” Mr Nielsen told a news conference at the prime minister's official residence, Marienborg, in Lyngby, 12km north of Copenhagen.
“The words used were not respectful. Therefore, in this situation, we must unite,” he added.
Political parties in Greenland, which has long sought independence from Denmark, recently agreed to form a new broad-based coalition government in response to Trump's plans for the territory.
The Greenlandic government said Mr Nielsen's three-day visit, which began on Saturday, was aimed at future cooperation between the two countries.
“Denmark is interested in investing in Greenlandic society, and this desire is not only historical. We are also committed to this because we are part of the (Danish) community,” said Ms. Frederiksen.
“We certainly plan to continue to invest in Greenlandic society,” she added.
On Monday, Mr Nielsen will meet with King Frederik X and then return to Greenland with Frederik for a royal visit to the island.
Ms Frederiksen and Mr Nielsen were asked about the possibility of meeting with Mr Trump.
“We are always happy to meet the American president,” Ms Frederiksen said. “Of course we want to. But I think we have made it very clear what the (Danish Community's) approach is to all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
