Greenland's prime minister says island can't be bought, US isn't showing respect

LYNGBY, Denmark (AP) — New Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Sunday that U.S. statements astir the mineral-rich Arctic land person been disrespectful and that Greenland “will never, ever beryllium a portion of spot that tin beryllium bought by conscionable anyone.”

Nielsen made the remarks successful defiance of U.S. President Donald Trump's involvement successful taking power of the strategical territory arsenic Nielsen stood broadside by broadside with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen connected the 2nd time of a three-day authoritative visit. Greenland is simply a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.

"The talks from the United States person not been respectful,” Nielsen said astatine a quality league astatine the premier minister’s Marienborg authoritative residence successful Lyngby, 12 kilometers (8 miles) northbound of Copenhagen.

“The words utilized person not beryllium respectful. That’s wherefore we request successful this situation, we request to basal together,” helium added.

Political parties successful Greenland, which has been leaning toward eventual independency from Denmark for years, precocious agreed to signifier a broad-based caller conjugation authorities successful the look of Trump’s designs connected the territory.

Greenland’s authorities said that Nielsen’s three-day visit, which began Saturday, was aimed astatine aboriginal practice betwixt the 2 countries.

“Denmark has the volition to put successful the Greenlandic society, and we don’t conscionable person that for humanities reasons. We besides person that due to the fact that we are portion of (the Danish) commonwealth with each other,” said Frederiksen.

“We of people person a volition to besides proceed investing successful the Greenlandic society,” she added.

Nielsen is acceptable to conscionable King Frederik X connected Monday, earlier returning to Greenland with Frederik for a royal sojourn to the island.

Frederiksen and Nielsen were asked whether a gathering betwixt them and Trump was being planned.

“We ever privation to conscionable with the American president," Frederiksen said. "Of people we privation to. But I deliberation we person been very, precise wide successful what is the (Danish commonwealth’s) attack to each parts of the Kingdom of Denmark.”