Turkey To Allow Private Broadcasting In Kurdish

The broadcasts will start in January (RFE/RL) 28 December 2005 -- Turkey said today that private television and radio stations may start broadcasting in minority languages such as Kurdish from January, in line with EU demands.

Zahid Akman, head of Turkey's RTUK broadcasting watchdog, made the announcement in televised remarks.

Turkey already allows limited broadcasting in Kurdish and other languages, including Arabic, on state television and radio, as part of EU-inspired reforms.

But the European Union had been urging Ankara to further expand the cultural and linguistic rights of its ethnic minorities if Turkey hopes to join the 25-country bloc.

(Reuters)