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Despite Cartoon Flap, Danish PM to Head NATO

Turkey shoots down Danish candidate

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Apr 4, 2009 10:08 AM CDT
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(Newser) – NATO named Anders Fogh Rasmussen as its new secretary-general today, overcoming a contentious stalemate with Turkey, the AP reports. Turkey had strongly opposed the Danish prime minister because he’d supported the newspapers that printed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005. Turkey argued that Rasmussen’s selection wouldn’t play well in critical Muslim nations like Pakistan and Afghanistan.

That had appeared likely to scuttle his candidacy, because all 28 nations must agree on the civilian leader. But after intense negotiations today, Turkey switched course. “A solution has been found for the concerns expressed by Turkey,” said the outgoing secretary-general. “We are unanimous in this.” The secretary-general is in charge of day-to-day operations in the alliance’s headquarters, and his selection rarely attracts such scrutiny.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks to media after a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street in London, in this Wednesday, Feb.18, 2009 file photo.
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen speaks to media after a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street in London, in this Wednesday, Feb.18, 2009 file photo.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, file)
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during a media conference at the NATO summit in Strasbourg, France today.
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during a media conference at the NATO summit in Strasbourg, France today.   (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
President Abdullah Gul tells reporters that Turkey has no problem with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in this March 29, 2009 photo. But Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said Muslim nations oppose him.
President Abdullah Gul tells reporters that Turkey has no problem with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in this March 29, 2009 photo. But Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said Muslim nations oppose him.   (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Rob
Apr 6, 2009 1:15 AM CDT
This is a red herring and you know it. If there was some of the same outrage directed from Muslim states toward Muslim racism against the West and Jews then their cries for "justice" would mean a little more. As it is its hypocritical whining.
Rob
Apr 6, 2009 1:13 AM CDT
Exactly. And the continued "children's cartoons" that indoctrinate hate. The Muslim world should repair its own house before it points fingers.
Rob
Apr 6, 2009 1:12 AM CDT
I think that too much attention has gone to "Arab sensitivity" yes.

 
Turkey • NATO • free speech • Recep Tayyip Erdogan • Denmark • Danish Mohammed cartoons • NATO Secretary-General

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