Qatar welcomed the Danish government's announcement that it has sent a bill to Parliament to ban the burning copies of the Holy Qur'an, expressing its hope that all parties concerned would deal with the bill positively and that the issuance of the forthcoming legislation would act as a deterrent to curb hate speech and Islamophobia.
In a statement Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Qatar's appreciation for the Danish government's response to calls to prevent the burning of the copies of the Holy Qura'n and its aspiration for similar steps from the governments of countries that witnessed the same incidents to stop crimes that fuel hatred, incite violence and threaten the peaceful coexistence between people.
The Ministry reiterated Qatar's full support for the values of tolerance and its keenness to establish the principles of international peace and security through dialogue and understanding.
The Iraqi Government has also welcomed the step taken by the Danish Government to criminalise the burning of the Holy Qur'an.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein exchanged messages with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen in which he said that this step would preserve status and respect for religious books, which are sanctified by many societies in the world.
