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Yang Slams 'Destabilizing' Microsoft Plan

CEO accuses Icahn-allied giant of pretending to want deal

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 9, 2008 8:49 AM CDT

(Newser) – Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang launched a fresh offensive in the Yahoo-Microsoft war of words yesterday, reports the Wall Street Journal. Microsoft has said it would be interested in reopening merger talks if Yahoo's current board was replaced—but the Yahoo co-founder accuses the company of tactics to destabilize Yahoo without any real interest in cutting a deal.

Yang also hit out at activist investor Carl Icahn, who is waging a proxy battle to unseat Yahoo's entire board at its August 1 meeting, and plans to replace Yang if he succeeds. "To trust Mr. Icahn and his board is really a bad choice," Yang said. "I can bring stability back to Yahoo. The destabilizing by Microsoft has become more and more intentional. I am not happy about it."

Exterior view of Yahoo headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif., Wednesday, July 2, 2008.
Exterior view of Yahoo headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif., Wednesday, July 2, 2008.   (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Yahoo Inc. co-founder Jerry Yang heads out on a break, in this Friday, July 14, 2006 file photo, at the annual Allen & Co. media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. Yahoo Inc.
Yahoo Inc. co-founder Jerry Yang heads out on a break, in this Friday, July 14, 2006 file photo, at the annual Allen & Co. media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. Yahoo Inc.   (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
In this Oct. 11, 2007 file photo, private equity investor Carl Icahn speaks at the World Business Forum in New York.  Icahn is seeking to unseat Yahoo's board at its August 1 meeting.
In this Oct. 11, 2007 file photo, private equity investor Carl Icahn speaks at the World Business Forum in New York. Icahn is seeking to unseat Yahoo's board at its August 1 meeting.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan )
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