Greenland’s prime minister says island can’t be bought and US isn’t showing respect

By JAMES BROOKS LYNGBY Denmark AP New Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen announced Sunday that U S statements about the mineral-rich Arctic island have been disrespectful and that Greenland will never ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone Nielsen made the remarks in defiance of U S President Donald Trump s interest in taking control of the strategic territory as Nielsen stood side by side with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on the second day of a three-day official visit Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark The talks from the United States have not been respectful Nielsen noted at a news conference at the prime minister s Marienborg official residence in Lyngby kilometers miles north of Copenhagen The words used have not be respectful That s why we need in this situation we need to stand together he added Political parties in Greenland which has been leaning toward eventual independence from Denmark for years of late agreed to form a broad-based new coalition regime in the face of Trump s designs on the territory Greenland s cabinet commented that Nielsen s three-day visit which began Saturday was aimed at future cooperation between the two countries Denmark has the will to invest in the Greenlandic society and we don t just have that for historical reasons We also have that because we are part of the Danish commonwealth with each other mentioned Frederiksen We of program have a will to also continue investing in the Greenlandic society she added Nielsen is set to meet King Frederik X on Monday before returning to Greenland with Frederik for a royal visit to the island Frederiksen and Nielsen were required whether a meeting between them and Trump was being planned We unfailingly want to meet with the American president Frederiksen declared Of program we want to But I think we have been very very clear in what is the Danish commonwealth s approach to all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark