Turkey: Apologize now!
LATEST UPDATE: Recap and analysis of the latest events in this story here.
UPDATE: Turkey does the weaseldance - the quoted article below is no more accurate
Politiken, February 24, 2006
Turkey demands official Danish apology for the Muhammed cartoons. Jens Rohde, the political spokesman for the ruling Liberal Party thinks the demand hurts Turkey’s chances of EU membership.
The Danish government must distance itself from the Muhammed cartoons published in Jyllands-Posten and make an apology.
Otherwise, no bridge-building with the Islamic world is possible, says the official spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry following the European Unions’ request for Turkey to act as a mediator.
"The Danish government ought quickly to announce that Denmark does not accept denigration of the Prophet Muhammed such as the cartoons in Jyllands-Posten gives voice to. Denmark should apologize for what’s happened and make it clear that the Danish government wants nothing to do with the cartoons." So says Namik Tan, official spokesman of Abdullah Gül, foreign minister of Turkey.
Not about Freedom of Speech
He underlines that in the opinion of the Turkish government the cartoons have nothing to do with Freedom of Speech.
"This issue is not about Freedom of Speech. This is no different than if these cartoons had anti-semitic content. If Denmark persists in insisting that this is about Freedom of Speech, it will be very difficult to proceed," Tan is quoted as saying.
Long way to the EU
The spokesman of the Liberal ruling party, Jens Rohde, condemns the statement, saying that this will only make it more difficult for Turkey to act as a mediator and it will not be helpful if they want to be accepted into the EU.
"The Danish government can under no circumstances apologize for the actions of a private newspaper," Jens Rohde is quoted as saying to Ritzau.
"This doesn’t exactly make them more qualified to be mediators - nor does it help them qualify to be members of the EU, to be frank," Jens Rohde says of the Turkish statement.
Turkey on Collision Course with Europe, Demands Danish Apologies
One wonders whether the Turks still want to become EU members. Ankara is demanding an official apology from Copenhagen for the twelve Muhammad drawings published last September in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Unless the Danish government of Prime
Trackback by The Brussels Journal — February 24, 2006 @ 11:43 am
Turkey withdraws request for apology
Translators note: The Danish text uses the weasel word "dementeret" which I have translated as withdrawn. It might also mean deny, but if that is what they mean, why didn’t they say it? We’ll have to wait for an English news…
Trackback by Agora — February 24, 2006 @ 3:07 pm
The real motive for wanting Turkey in the EU is the energy, isn’t it? Turkey is viewed as a secure and friendly country through which to run oil and natural gas pipelines from the Caspian Sea region. You in Europe and we in the USA must look in the mirror and ask ourselves, are we willing to sell our freedom, our civilization, our honor for that? Our governments and corporations have made their decision. Now we, Americans, Danes, Germans, Brits, French, etc, etc, etc, must make ours.
Comment by igout — February 24, 2006 @ 8:18 pm
Turkey elected an islamist govt, Turkey has to decide betweeen two choices, either follow Ataturk and be secular or choose the liberal cowardice of fall to islamists and blow smoke to islamsits.
They choose islamists, then no EU as they are just another middle eastern third world cesspool of ignorance and islamist apologists,
the curent Turkish govt has balls the size of a french gay transvestite.
The curent govt is the retarded retard that craps their own pants on purpose then blames jews to cover for it.
Hell even france stood up to Iran, If Turkey wants to be part of Europe their “men” need to grow a pair.
Comment by Paul Harrison — February 27, 2006 @ 12:34 am