Greenland's prime minister says island cannot be bought, US has 'not been respectful'

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen announced Sunday that comments from U S representatives about the Arctic island have been disrespectful and that the island cannot be purchased in defiance of U S President Donald Trump who has repeatedly floated the idea of buying the strategic territory Nielsen announced Greenland will never ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone as he stood by Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen during a joint press conference at Frederiksen's Marienborg official residence in Lyngby Denmark The Greenlandic prime minister was meeting with Frederiksen on the second day of a three-day official visit to Denmark Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark The talks from the United States have not been respectful Nielsen noted The words used have not been respectful That s why we need in this situation we need to stand together TRUMP SAYS HE WASN'T 'TROLLING' ABOUT ACQUIRING GREENLAND CANADA AS ST STATEPolitical parties in Greenland in recent weeks agreed to form a broad-based new coalition regime amid Trump s targets on the territory This as the island has for years been leaning toward eventual independence from Denmark Nielsen s three-day visit seeks to address 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 Frederiksen reported We of discipline have a will to also continue investing in the Greenlandic society she added Nielsen is scheduled to meet Denmark's King Frederik X on Monday before returning to Greenland with Frederik for a royal visit to the island Frederiksen and Nielsen were petitioned whether a meeting had been planned involving them and Trump TRUMP REMAINS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ODDS OF ACQUIRING GREENLAND 'I THINK IT'LL HAPPEN' We inevitably want to meet with the American president Frederiksen revealed Of curriculum 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 The Associated Press contributed to this record