Cartoon controversy 'could have been avoided'

Muscat: A European Parliamentary (EP) delegation head believes the fresh Danish cartoon controversy could have been avoided.

"It would have been better to avoid [publishing the cartoons again]," Lilli Gruber, head of the EP Delegation to Oman, told Gulf News on Wednesday.

However, she reiterated that in Europe they believe in "freedom of speech". "We are in favour of freedom of speech and we even criticise our God," she said.

At the same time, she condemned any act that would insult others and incite hatred. "Freedom of expression is a fundamental European value, but should not be taken to the extent of offending the sensitivities of other people's culture and religious beliefs," Gruber said.

She said the cartoons were not published to incite hatred or insult people.

Talking about her visit to Oman, which followed a visit to Qatar, Gruber said Oman was crucial for peace in the region. "We appreciate the role Oman is playing to stabilise the Middle East region," the Italian parliamentarian said.

Oman praised

A journalist by profession, she also lauded Oman's "excellent efforts" to blend traditions with modernity.

She, however, regretted that no woman had been elected to Oman's Majlis Al Shura. "It is regretful that not a single woman had been elected to the Shura council because women have a crucial role to play, not only in Oman's parliament, but everywhere," she pointed out.

She felt women didn't get proper exposure in the media when they contested elections. "There should be more efforts to raise awareness of electing women," she said.

When informed that women voted in large numbers in Oman during the elections in October last year, Gruber agreed that women didn't always vote for women. "They vote for men because they vote the way their husbands want them to vote," she said.

Her advice to Omani authorities was to create more awareness of the role of women. In reply to a question, she said she was in favour of reserving seats or quotas for women.

Gruber thanked the Majlis Al Shura in Oman for the excellent hospitality provided to her seven-member EP delegation.

On the Iran-nuclear issue, she said the EP delegation and Omani counterparts agreed there was a need to preserve regional stability and arrive at a peaceful, negotiated, long-term solution.