EMBASSY REITERATES NEED TO SHUT DOWN ROJ-TV

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000454 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL DA TU SUBJECT: EMBASSY REITERATES NEED TO SHUT DOWN ROJ-TV REF: STATE O52687 Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION SANDRA KAISER, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Pol/Econ Counselor and Polmiloff called April 6 on MFA Foreign Policy Director Jens-Otto Horslund and Deputy Director Lars Bo Moeller to strongly urge the Danish government shut down Roj-TV and freeze its assets and those of related media companies (reftel). Pol/Econ Counselor stressed the connection between destabilizing Roj-TV broadcasting and the recent wave of violence in southeastern Turkey. He also emphasized reftel points on Roj-TV links to PKK and its inflammatory reporting. ¶2. (C) Horslund replied that the Danish government shares U.S. concerns about Roj-TV and pledged that the top MFA officials would be informed of this approach. By way of context, Horslund said Denmark enjoys good bilateral relations with Turkey, and Denmark is one of the EU member states working to advance Turkey's EU aspirations. However, Horslund stressed, closing Roj-TV is a legal matter governed by existing legislation and regulation. Taking steps to shut down the transmitter requires the prosecutor to produce in court concrete evidence of incitement of terrorism within the meaning of Danish anti-terrorism statutes. He noted that a thorough Danish police investigation is continuing. Moeller added that the Danish State Prosecutor has told the Danish police to leave "no stone unturned" in their ongoing investigation of Roj-TV. Horslund urged the USG, as well as the Turkish government, to share additional evidence on which the State Prosecutor can act. ¶3. (C) Deputy Director Moeller said Foreign Minister Moeller (no relation) made the same offer to act on evidence to Turkish Foreign Minister Gul on March 31, and MFA Permanent Secretary Federspiel conveyed the same response to the SIPDIS Turkish Ambassador in Copenhagen on March 30. ¶4. (C) Pol/Econ Counselor reiterated the continued importance the USG places on this issue. CAIN