Eurasia Press & News
ANKARA, Turkey – Media quoted government officials as saying on Sunday (March 22nd) that Turkey may block Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s candidacy for the NATO secretary-general position.
Ankara has expressed concerns over Denmark’s previous decision to allow Kurdish Roj TV, often criticised by Turkish authorities for distributing statements by the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), to broadcast from Denmark.
Turkey also remains offended by comments Rasmussen made in 2003, suggesting that Turkey would never be a full EU member. Also, Turkey did not appreciate the way Denmark handled a 2006 scandal over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad that appeared in a Danish newspaper.
NATO is expected to name its new secretary-general early next month, given incumbent Jaap de Hoop Scheffer’s expected departure in July.
