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In Istanbul, Rasmussen Does Not Apologize for Mohammed Cartoon Controversy

April 07, 2009 2:29 AM

ISTANBUL -- Despite reports in Turkish media that made their way to Europe suggesting that new NATO Secretary General and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen would apologize for his freedom of speech stance during the 2006 controversy surrounding the publication of cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, Rasmussen made no such apology in Istanbul Monday at a meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations.

During a panel discussion at Çırağan Palace in Istanbul, Rasmussen said that, "I would never myself depict any religious figure, including the Prophet Mohammed, in a way that could hurt other people's feelings. I respect Islam as one of the world's major religions," Turkey's English daily newspaper, the Daily News & Economic Review, reported.

"My position is clear before, during and after the crisis. I condemn action that aims to demonize people on their religious or ethnic background," he said. 

That said, Rasmussen also asserted that "all kinds of censorship are the enemy of dialogue and enhance prejudice. All kinds of prejudice have to confronted, not ignored. That is why freedom of expression is a precondition for open dialogue."

During the NATO summit in Strasbourg, France, Turkish President Abdullah Gul voiced his objections to Rasmussen's candidacy because of the perceived insult to Muslims.

President Obama helped Gul and Rasmussen begin a dialogue that resulted in Turkey dropping its objections.

The details of their deal have not been publicized, but some unsourced media reports asserted that Rasmussen was planning on issuing a mea culpa when he appeared in this Muslim majority nation Monday. He did not.

Media reports have also speculated that Rasmussen had promised to shut down Kurdish ROJ TV, which broadcasts in Denmark, because of its alleged ties to the Kurdish terrorist group PKK. But at a press conference in Istanbul, Rasmussen merely said that he would commission a study to see if such ties exist and if so, then he would take action.

- jpt

April 7, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (8)

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@ Dan Mogensen

You are wrong. No muslims would ever think of making fun of Jesus Christ because muslims think he was one of the prophets of God.

Posted by: metin | Apr 8, 2009 7:07:27 AM

You can bet that if those cartoons were published for the first time recently in the United States, Obama would be prostrating himself before every Muslim he could find. It's a tragedy that we don't have a leader like Rasmussen, who has a spine and who stands up for freedom.

Posted by: maryo | Apr 7, 2009 7:45:15 PM

FREE CONSTANTINOPLE!

Posted by: CrusaderPatriot | Apr 7, 2009 5:58:21 PM

"It is our fault the world's markets are in a financial crisis."

Wow. There are no words.

Posted by: John Galt | Apr 7, 2009 5:43:38 PM

Jake,

Thanks for your reporting on Obama's trip, especially the information from local sources.

Hope you got to see some of the great sites. Istanbul is high on my list of places to see.

I am proud of the way Obama represented us.

Obamacrat for Palin,

It is our fault the world's markets are in a financial crisis.

A confident man (Barack Obama) and a confident country (US) has no problem saying I/we were wrong. We are fortunate that the countries at the G-20 did not rub our noses in the damage we did.

Posted by: Julie | Apr 7, 2009 4:39:24 AM

I'm very happy this report turned out not to be true.

Posted by: MayBee | Apr 7, 2009 3:32:12 AM

Why on earth should Rasmussen appologize for those drawings?

When many Muslems make fun of Christians by putting Jesus christ in the middle of 2 naked women, why don't christians revolt for years after this takes place??

Many Muslems have a serious problem differentiating between freedom of speech and fanatism.

Posted by: Dan Mogensen | Apr 7, 2009 3:28:40 AM

I used to support President Barack Obama, but Barack Obama has no spine. He spent all last week parading himself through Europe apologizing for America as America's head of state. He said it's our fault that some Muslims think we're out to get them. He says it's our fault the world is at war. He says it's our fault the world's markets collapsed. God bless Prime Minister Rasmussen for having a spine, for it is not freedom of expression that should capitulate to tyranny, it is tyranny which must capitulate to freedom of speech. It is time we had a President that watches more CNBC than ESPN. It is time for Palin '12, PUMA!

Posted by: Obamacrat for Palin | Apr 7, 2009 2:57:22 AM

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