Denmark’s prime Minister Rasmussen’s appointment as NATO general secretary was recently threated by a Veto from Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey’s Prime Minister explained his objection with the Mohammed’s newspaper caricatures from 2006. Issued by the Danish Jullands Posten, the contoversial drawings provoked waves of protest all over the Islamic world- Turkey not excluded. And now the conservative Erdogan is openly accusing Rasmussen of not doing enough to prevent or sanction Mohammed’s caricatures. But isn’t it strange for a prime minister of an EU applicant-country to be accusing another prime minister for not stopping or sanctioning a newspaper? After all press freedom and freedom of opinion are some of the major criteria a country has to stick to, in order to join the European community.
Roj TV constitutes another part of the diplomatic problem. The Kurdish Broadcaster targets primarily turkish Kurds, but operates from Denmark. Turkish authorities have been constantly trying to ban the TV Station, accusing it of close relationships to PKK. So far without any success. However, the situation is about to change, with Rasmussen sending two senior prosecutors to Ankara to discuss shutting down Roj TV. He personally rejects any relation of his action to Еrdogan’s veto threat, but we all know that nothing in diplomacy is done for free.
For further Information: FAZ (31.03.09) and medianetwork
PM’s name is Tayyip not Tacip 😉
By: Osman on April 2, 2009
at 21:45
Sorry, you’re right. And it seems it is going to be a name our blog will definetely have to remember for the near future. Erdogan’s style of media-policy making is very, very interesting
By: euromediablog on April 3, 2009
at 12:58
[…] Erdogan vs. Rasmussen Part II Finally- Anders Fogh Rasmussen was officially approved as a future NATO General Secretary. This was the result long and hard negotiations with Turkey, which was stubbornly refusing to accept his appointment. But as we wrote in our article last week – nothing in diplomacy comes for free: […]
By: Erdogan vs. Rasmussen Part II « European Media Blog on April 8, 2009
at 10:50
[…] Erdogan vs. Rasmussen […]
By: Roj TV – the Show Must go on.. « European Media Blog on May 21, 2009
at 19:44