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UAE protests to Denmark over cartoon

ABU DHABI - The UAE yesterday summoned Danish ambassador and lodged a protest against the Danish government’s stance on reprinting of cartoons by the Danish Press which defame Islam and personality of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Summoning non-resident Danish ambassador to UAE Hans Klingenbeg to his office, Foreign Affairs State Minister Dr Anwar Mohammed Al Gargash delivered the protest memo to him, decrying the stance of the Danish government on reprinting of the outrageous cartoons.

‘The UAE has been keen to bolster and sustain relations with many countries worldwide, including the kingdom of Denmark, indicating that the UAE respects religious freedom and tolerance among world people,’ Al Gargash said at the meeting. ‘It condemns unwise position of the Danish government for not preventing the reprinting of the cartoons, defaming Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the Danish Press’. He reiterated the stance of UAE clearly ‘on non-mixing up the Press freedom and ridiculing Islam. This will definitely cast shadow on the bilateral relations’.

Al Gargash noted that the Danish government could do more to stop the deformation of Islam, which is apparently seen through the infamous Danish cartoons, adding that the UAE would remain vocal and tolerant, and build foreign relations, but would not tolerate attacks on ‘our Islamic heritage’.

He added that the UAE rejects the attempt to exploit the Press freedom as a cover for defaming ‘our religion and the Prophet’.