Statement by the Danish foreign minister on prophet cartoon issue
Regional-Denmark, Politics, 2/6/2006

The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Of Denmark said in a statement:

Thank you for coming on such short notice.

As you can imagine I am horrified to see the wave of violence and attacks and how this is spreading throughout the Middle East at rapid pace. The actions in Lebanon today and Syria yesterday are beyond comprehension

The horrendous acts perpetrated by looting mobs against Denmark should be condemned by all countries.

This is clearly a matter of global concern and a matter that demands collective efforts and swift action. It is now a case which is much bigger than the issue of the drawings.

Forces outside the political systems are now setting the agenda. That is regrettable because it ruins the dialogue between our countries, which we are all interested in. And which is essential for finding a path out of this crisis.

In the past 24 hours the prime minister and I have been in close contacts with a number of leaders in the Arab world as well as our Western partners. I have also talked to the Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, who expressed that he would be willing to help in solving the crisis.

I associate myself with the Secretary General in his appeal not to take any measures to inflame in an already difficult situation. We must engage in dialogue and further diplomatic activities in order to solve this extremely difficult situation.

I am also grateful for the efforts by the Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to calm the situation. I fully agree with him that these incidents are regrettable and deplorable and that they surpass the limits of peaceful democratic acts.

I equally appreciate the calls by Muslim religious leaders who deplore the arson attacks and criticize these reactions. I also note that more and more leaders are recognizing that the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten has indeed apologized to the Muslim world for the offence caused by the drawings and that the Danish Prime Minister has expressed that he is distressed that many Muslims have seen the drawings in the newspaper as a defamation of the Prophet Muhammad.

And let me make it clear: The Danish Government respects Islam as one of the worlds major religions. The government has no intention to insult Muslims and does not support such activities.

The Presidency of the European Union and leaders of prominent EU governments have also condemned the surge of violence and animosity against European citizens and property in the region.

The essence of our diplomatic efforts is not to widen the Mediterranean Sea but to continue to build political, cultural and economical bridges. What we need across the Mediterranean is not antagonizing foes, but cooperating friends. What we need between the different cultures of the world is not animosity but generosity.

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.

This has also been my message to my Arab, European and international partners, whom I have been in contact with. The Prime Minister has conveyed the same message to his counterparts.

Unfortunately, misinformation and misunderstandings on both sides have been allowed to nourish those forces that seek to promote confrontation.

It is very important for me to stress that the Koran has not been burned in Denmark. Such a repulsive act would be strongly condemned by the Government.

The Danish Police has made clear that it can be criminal to burn the Koran and that this could lead to a prison sentence.

It is important that all concerned clearly rejects misinformation of this sort. If it is allowed to spread it will only add fuel to the fire.

This is not in any responsible partys interest. The only groups that can profit from confrontation and animosity of this kind are extremists and fanatics.

We all have a responsibility to talk down the crisis and to contribute constructively in order to move forward together, as Secretary-General Kofi Annan has encouraged all parties to do.

It is my firm belief that the only way ahead is a dialogue that allows us to strengthen our insights and understanding of each other.

(Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Of Denmark)

Previous Stories:
  Lebanese minister of interior resigns over rioters burning of the Danish embassy   (2/6/2006)
  Newspapers challenge Muslims over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed   (2/2/2006)
  Syria recalls ambassador in Copenhagen over insulting cartoons   (2/2/2006)
  Danish paper apologizes to Muslims over insulting them, companies sales come to a halt   (1/31/2006)

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