OSLO, Norway (AP) 鈥� Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told The Associated Press 鈥測ou cannot spy against an ally鈥� after , a semi-autonomous Danish territory coveted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Frederiksen's comments Friday are the latest in the spat between Denmark, Greenland and the United States because Trump seeks to annex the strategic Arctic island. Denmark and Greenland insist that the mineral-rich island is not for sale, while Trump has not ruled out taking it by military force even though Denmark is a NATO ally.
The Danish prime minister spoke to the AP the day after Denmark summoned the top American diplomat in the country for an explanation following a Wall Street Journal report which said several high-ranking officials under the U.S. director of national intelligence, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about independence movement and sentiment about U.S. resource extraction there.
Jennifer Hall Godfrey, acting head of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, met with high-ranking Danish diplomat Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen at the Danish Foreign Ministry, the ministry said in an email. It provided no further details. The embassy declined to comment.
Frederiksen said Friday the report was 鈥渞umors鈥� in an international newspaper. The Journal, cited two people familiar with the U.S. effort which it did not identify.
鈥淐ooperation about defense and deterrence and security in the northern part of Europe is getting more and more important,鈥� Frederiksen said. 鈥淥f course, you cannot spy against an ally.鈥�
In response to questions about the Journal鈥檚 report, Gabbard鈥檚 office released a statement noting that she had made three 鈥渃riminal鈥� referrals to the Justice Department over intelligence community leaks.
鈥淭he Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of aiding deep state actors who seek to undermine the President by politicizing and leaking classified information,鈥� Gabbard wrote. 鈥淭hey are breaking the law and undermining our nation鈥檚 security and democracy. Those who leak classified information will be found and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.鈥�
骋谤别别苍濒补苍诲鈥檚 that U.S. statements about the island have been disrespectful and it 鈥渨ill never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.鈥�
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St酶re on Friday said those who believe there is 鈥渁nother kind of legal regime in the Arctic鈥� should be told that 鈥渢his is not the case.鈥�
Speaking ahead of a Joint Expeditionary Force leaders鈥� meeting in Oslo, Gahr St酶re said there seemed to be suggestions that 鈥渋n the Arctic, there is some kind of terra nullius, law doesn鈥檛 apply.鈥�
鈥淚t applies, sovereignty applies. And Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark,鈥� he said ahead of the meeting with the leaders of the U.K., Nordic and Baltic nations.
Emma Burrows, The Associated Press
