Crisis is not orchestrated by Denmark

Dubai: The Danish consul plans urgent meetings with Muslim communities here to explain his country's stance on the cartoon crisis, which he says is turning dangerously political in the region.

Consul Thomas Bay said the crisis is "not orchestrated" by his government and that there is no way that Copenhagen would support such an issue.

The consul said Islam is the second-largest religion in Denmark and that Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, has condemned the cartoons on a personal level.

"I too distance myself from the cartoons," he said.

He said Danish companies are losing Dh200 million every day because of the commercial boycott by the Gulf sates. "But the companies also employ hundreds of Muslims," he said.

Carrefour, the French merchandise chain in the UAE, has also reportedly joined the boycott and is pulling out Danish products from its shelves.

The Consumers Cooperative Union had earlier pulled out Danish products from its 40 branches in the UAE, followed by Spinneys. The Danish consul said it was unfortunate that Danish businessmen have been taken hostage in this crisis, which he said is not of their doing.

Bay said it was unfortunate that Danish Muslim groups had earlier informed governments in the region that Jyllands-Posten was a government newspaper and that it was a government smear campaign against Islam.

"The Muslims' demand have been met and the paper has given a clean and straight apology," he said.

The Danish Business Council in Dubai has also expressed sympathy for Muslims who feel insulted and wronged by the cartoons. "We have the greatest respect for the Muslim religion and obviously cannot support anything that offends people's religion or ethnic background.

"We feel sad that the current situation is threatening to damage many years of peaceful and respectful relations with the people in this region," it said in a statement, and urged all parties involved to find a solution through dialogue.