Staff Reporter

A JOINT communique issued by six prominent leaders has appealed for an immediate end to the “present atmosphere of anger” following the publication of insulting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Secretaries General of the UN, the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the foreign ministers of Qatar, Spain and Turkey said they deeply regretted the offence and hurt created by the cartoons as well as the loss of life and damage to property in several countries.

First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani, told reporters at a joint press conference yesterday that political leaders had been conducting serious discussions to avoid repetitions of such incidents in the future.

“The UN is working out a mechanism in this direction.” The Foreign Minister said dragging religions into controversies would not help establish peace in the world.

When asked about the decision to boycott Danish products in Qatar, he said there was no official call to do so, but it was “an individual decision of owners of shops, which reflects the freedom of trade”.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he would present the communique at the UN General Assembly though he could not guarantee its adoption.

He said concerted efforts were required to open dialogue of civilisations. “Just one communique will not solve the problem.”

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said today’s meeting of the UN High-Level Group for the Alliance of Civilisations would draft a plan to resolve the crisis and its repetition.

The communique reaffirmed the universal right to freedom of expression, but it also appealed to every one to exercise that right responsibly, and not to use it as a pretext for inciting hatred or insulting the deeply-held beliefs of any community.

The leaders acknowledged the Muslims’ deep hurt over the caricatures, and reaffirmed their right to protest peacefully.

They applauded the vast majority of protesters throughout the world who chose to express their anger in an orderly and peaceful manner.

The communique urged everyone to resist provocation, over-reaction and violence, and turn to dialogue. “Without dialogue we cannot hope to appeal to reason, to heal the resentment or overcome mistrust.”

They urged all leaders, religious and secular, to use their influence to promote universal values and beliefs.

“As individuals and as representatives of our respective organisations and countries, we fully support universal human rights and the strict application of relevant laws.

“We believe all rights should be exercised in a responsible manner. Neither media and publications, nor places of worship should be used to incite or spread hatred,” the communique said.

The international society we all want to live in is a tolerant one, which recognises both rights and responsibilities, it said.

The communique was issued after a meeting which was attended by HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, Annan, Moussa, Organisation of Islamic Conference Secretary General Ekmeledeen Ihsanoglu, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

The meeting held, at the Ritz-Carlton Doha, came on the eve of the second round of the Alliance of civilisations conference.