Denmark Learns Several Steps To Prevent Al Qur'an Burning Incidents

JAKARTA - Denmark is studying a number of steps and legislation to prevent the recurrence of incidents of burning the Qur'an, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, August 5.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen, as reported by Antara, confirmed this in telephone talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said.

Rasmussen told Shoukry that the series of last incidents of burning and blasphemy of the Al-Qur'an in Denmark were "regrettable and against the values of the Danish people."

Reaffirming Egypt's harsh condemnation of the burning of the Qur'an, Shoukry said incidents of this kind provoked Muslims around the world.

He also ensured such actions violate human rights, threaten peaceful coexistence and trigger extremism.

Last Tuesday, amid widespread condemnation, members of the extreme nationalist group Islamophobic "Danske Patrioter" (Denish Volunteer) burned a copy of the Qur'an in front of the Turkish embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark.

They also burned the Qur'an in front of the embassies of Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Denmark on Monday stated that it had been observing the latest declaration by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OKI) in response to a series of Al-Qur'an blasphemy recently. They stated that they would continue intensive dialogue with OIC member countries.

In recent months there have been a series of acts of blasphemy against the Qur'an or attempts to do so by Islamophobic figures or groups, especially in northern and Nordic European countries.