Denmark summoned the US charge d'affaires for talks Wednesday after reports of attempted interference in Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory which US President Donald Trump wants to control.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said America needs the strategically located, resource-rich island for security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it.
The vast majority of Greenland's 57,000 people want to become independent from Denmark, but do not wish to become part of the United States, according to a January opinion poll.
Danish public television on Wednesday reported that at least three US officials close to Trump have been observed in Greenland recently trying to gather information on past issues that have created tension between Greenland and Denmark, including the forced removal of Greenlandic children from their families and a forced contraception scandal.
"We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark. It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead," Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a statement to AFP.
"Any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the kingdom will of course be unacceptable," he said, adding that he had "asked the ministry of foreign affairs to summon the US charge d'affaires for a meeting at the ministry".
