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Call for Arab leaders' help
05/02/2006 22:34 - (SA)
Per Bech Thomsen
Copenhagen - Denmark called on Sunday on Arab leaders to help curb an escalation of Muslim anger about publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, while hundreds of Danes gathered with torch lights to show their concern.
Denmark's foreign minister Per Stig Moeller told a news conference: "The Danish government urges all leaders, political and religious, in the countries concerned to call on their populations to remain calm and refrain from violence.
"We all have a responsibility to avoid that the situation escalates any further and to contain the violent protests and to return to dialogue," he said, speaking in English at the news conference broadcast live on television around the world. Angry demonstrators set the Danish consulate in Beirut ablaze on Sunday, while Syrians set fire to the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus on Saturday.
The row about the cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper and were reprinted in other European countries, has swept across the Muslim world as Islam forbids any depiction of the prophet.
'We all have a lot to lose'
One image depicted the prophet with a turban resembling a bomb.
Moeller also called for a dialogue which "allows us to strengthen our insight and understanding of each other".
"We have nothing to win from this confrontation. "We all have a lot to lose, because now it is in the hands of the extremists and fanatics, who do not want the dialogue of cultures and the co-operation between Western and Muslim governments," said Moeller.
Denmark has about 530 troops serving with US-led forces in Iraq.
Militants in Iraq called on Sunday for attacks on Danish troops and the Danish army said unknown gunmen shot at a patrol in southern Iraq.
No one was hurt.
Last week, Jyllands-Posten newspaper - which published 12 caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad about four months ago - apologised for having insulted Muslims.
And, on Friday, it said it would not have published the material had it known what the consequences would be.
The Danish government has public and political backing not to apologise on behalf of the newspaper as demanded by Muslims abroad.
But, after the recent escalation, Danes are divided about whether it was right for the newspaper to print the drawings, a poll showed on Saturday.
"We have made it pretty clear that freedom of speech is not unlimited.
Danish Muslims satisfied
"We have a law against blasphemy, but it is not up the government to decide whether the law has been broken or not," said Moeller.
Danish Muslims are satisfied with steps taken by the government and urged other Muslims to refrain from violence.
"Violence and vandalism are not in our interest. "However, we do understand Muslims' anger and strong emotions in their defence of the Prophet Muhammad," said Ahmad Akkari, spokesperson for the Islamic religious community in Denmark.
- Reuters
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