7.11.05

Endoideceram de vez

Prophet cartoons prompt Egypt to cut off Danish dialogue
By The Copenhagen Post
Egypt discontinues dialogue with Denmark on human rights and discrimination because of cartoon dispute
A Danish newspaper's decision to print cartoons of Muslim prophet Mohammed have caused a diplomatic crisis between Denmark and Egypt, national broadcaster DR reported on Thursday.
Egypt's ambassador in Libanon, Hussein Darrar, told news service AFP that Egypt had decided not to continue its dialogue with Denmark on human rights and discrimination.
The Egyptian ambassador in Denmark requested, along with ten other ambassadors of Muslim states, to meet with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to discuss daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten's decision to print twelve caricatures of the prophet, an act considered blasphemous by many Muslims.
Rasmussen refused to meet with the ambassdors, saying that if they thought he had any power to influence what a national newspaper did and printed, the essence of Danish democracy had been lost on them.
Egyptian Embassy Councillor Mohab Nasr Mostafa Mahdy said he had not seen for himself what Darrar told reporters, but that he was certain it was based on the information Darrar had received on the matter.
'The Egyptian ambassador in Denmark has said that the case no longer rests with the embassy. It is now being treated at an international level. As far as I have been informed by my government, the cartoon case has already been placed on the agenda for the Islamic Conference Organisation's extraordinary summit in the beginning of December,' Mahdy said.