OSLO, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the acting U.S. ambassador for a meeting on Thursday over media reports suggesting an escalation of American intelligence operations in Greenland.
The meeting with U.S. Acting Ambassador to Denmark Jennifer Hall Godfrey was held in Copenhagen and included a representative from Greenland's government.
"The focus of the meeting was the article in the Wall Street Journal: U.S. Orders Intelligence Agencies to Step Up Spying on Greenland," the ministry said in a statement.
The report, published on Tuesday, said that U.S. intelligence agencies have been directed to identify individuals in Greenland and Denmark who align with American strategic interests concerning the Arctic island, citing unnamed sources.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stressed that Denmark had expressed its concerns clearly to the United States (U.S.).
"The purpose of the meeting was to make the Kingdom's position completely clear. It is our impression that the acting ambassador took that seriously," Rasmussen told the media after the meeting. He added, however, that the meeting did not verify the article's claims.
"I cannot disclose what was said during the conversation. The purpose of the meeting was to convey to the U.S. that we take what we read in the paper very seriously. I have not had the accuracy of it confirmed," he said.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen strongly condemned the reported espionage activities.
"Spying in Nuuk (the capital of Greenland) by the U.S. is completely unacceptable. It's disrespectful to an ally and entirely abnormal," Nielsen told Danish broadcaster DR.
Greenland, once a Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, although Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defense. ■