Danish Prime Minister hopes Trump "is not serious" to buy Greenland

COPENHAGEN – Greenland is not for sale and the idea of ​​selling it in the United States is absurd, the Danish Prime Minister said Sunday after confirmation by an economic adviser to President Donald Trump of the interest of United States to acquire the largest island in the world.

"Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that does not mean seriously, "Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Sermitsiaq newspaper during a visit to Greenland.

Trump is due to travel to Copenhagen early next month, when the Arctic will be on the agenda at meetings with Frederiksen and Prime Minister Kim Kielsen of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told the media on Sunday that earlier this week Trump had privately discussed with his advisers the purchase of Greenland.

"I do not want to predict a result, I'm just saying that the president, who is very familiar with the purchase of real estate, wants to look at a purchase from Greenland," Kudlow told Fox News.

Kudlow said the situation was "evolving" and noted that US President Harry Truman had also wanted to buy Greenland.

"And Denmark has Greenland, Denmark is an ally, Greenland is a strategic place up there. And they have a lot of precious minerals, "added Kudlow.

A Danish-US Defense Treaty dating from 1951 gives the US Army the rights to the Thule Air Base in northern Greenland.

Greenland, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, depends on Danish economic support. It manages its own internal affairs while Copenhagen deals with defense and foreign policy.

"It's an absurd discussion and Kim Kielsen has made it clear that Greenland is not for sale. That's where the conversation ends, "Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster DR.

On Friday, Greenland Foreign Minister Ane Lone Bagger told Reuters: "We are open to business, but we are not for sale."