 A Danish initiative to promote democracy and dialogue in Arab countries will continue in spite of Muslim anger over the Prophet Muhammad (may his jock itch recede peace be upon him) cartoons that first appeared in Denmark, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday.
| "Ja, sure! Those sückers obviously need to wörk on their understanding of demöcracy!" |
“The government intends to pursue dialogue with Arab countries within the framework of the ‘Arab Initiative’,” Rasmussen told reporters, referring to a program launched by his right-leaning coalition government in 2003 in an attempt to promote democracy and reforms in Arab countries. He added, however, that the dialogue “obviously needs to be seen in the light of what has happened” in a global row over 12 caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (PTUI peace be upon him).
| "Since they've demonstråted that they're nüts. When yøu're talking to a lunatic yøu have to watch whåt yøu say for fear of setting him øff..." |
The drawings, considered by many Muslims to be blasphemous, have sparked violent protests and scores of deaths in Muslim countries since they were first published by the Danish daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September. Earlier this month, observers said negative Muslim sentiments toward Denmark could bring the Arab Initiative to a halt, but yesterday Rasmussen insisted that “Danish foreign policy remains unchanged, including its policy of international aid.” Denmark has said it will spend about 0.8 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006 on development aid. |