EUObserver reports that the Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan boycotted a joint press conference with Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen over the presence of a Kurdish TV station.

The Danish-based TV channel Roj TV sends news, entertainment, debate and children’s’ programs to Kurds in Denmark. Turkey has called for the channel to be closed down, claiming that it is funded by the terrorist group, the PKK.

Danish police are investigating the station, but have not found evidence of links to forbidden organisations so far.

Mr Rasmussen said he regretted that Mr Erdogan did not attend the press conference, but pointed out that excluding the Kurdish TV-station from the conference would have violated the principles of freedom of expression in the European Union, which Turkey aspires to join.

He added that Turkey must realise that there are a few strict conditions that have to be fulfilled if Turkey wants to join the EU one day.

The story continues with Turkish officials backing Erdogan’s behaviour and repeating the allegation that the station is linked to the PKK, which the station denies.

An ongoing police investigation to establish possible links between the TV channel and PKK, will be made official in the near future Danish police say.

And, unless the Danish police have found some connection btween Roj TV and the PKK, there is no justification whatsoever for denying the station any of the same rights afforded to all other media organisations. This is something that Turkey will need to accept if they are to fulfil their ambition of joining the EU.

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