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Turkey slams Denmark over Kurdish TV
station "Roj TV"
6.11.2005
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ANKARA, Nov 5 (AFP)
- 19h33 - Turkey on Saturday harshly criticised
Denmark for failing to revoke the broadcasting
license of a Kurdish television station which Ankara
says is a mouthpiece of armed Kurdish rebels.
"They are not banning a television station which
gives support to ethnic terrorism. They have been
procrastinating," Turkish Justice Minister Cemil
Cicek was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news
agency.
"This is against EU legislation," the minister
charged while on a visit to Stockholm.
Turkey has long been asking Danish authorities to
take action against Roj TV on the grounds that the
station is linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK), deemed by Turkey, the European Union
and the United States to be a terrorist
organisation.
Ankara says the station, which began broadcasting in
March 2004, incites hatred and fear by expressing
support for the PKK.
The Danish Radio and Television Board ruled earlier
this year that the station's programmes did not
contain incitement, but said it had asked police to
look into alleged ties between Roj TV and the PKK.
Turkey has previously suceeded in ensuring the
closure of two other Europe-based Kurish television
sations. MED-TV had its licence revoked in Britain
while France refused to grant a licence to its
successor, MEDYA-TV.
Ankara's move against Roj TV comes at a time of
increasing violence in mainly Kurdish southeastern
Turkey.
PKK rebels have stepped up attacks since calling off
a five-year unilateral truce in June 2004.
More than 37,000 people have been killed since 1984
when the PKK launched an armed campaign for Kurdish
self-rule in Turkey's southeast.
AFP
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