Both Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) have sharply denounced the recent attacks by protesters against Danish embassies. Tuomioja said on Sunday that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs was in a state of readiness, especially in the Middle East and other Islamic areas.
Expressions of anger toward the West have recently focused on Denmark, whose largest newspaper published cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in September. In Beirut, both the Danish and Norwegian consulates were set on fire.
Vanhanen emphasised on Sunday that Finnish citizens should "keep a low profile and avoid angry crowds of people" in predominantly Muslim countries in the wake of the increased riots.
Vanhanen emphasised in a radio interview programme on Sunday that Denmark has a very important role in calming the situation.
President Tarja Halonen and six other presidents of EU countries meeting in Germany also called for an end to the violence.
The cartoons have been printed in newspapers in various countries. In Finland they have appeared as brief flashes on news programmes in the electronic media. Vanhanen said that he is satisfied that there have not been any deliberate attempts in Finland to hurt people’s most sensitive feelings. He noted that it is part of the basic behaviour of Finns not to engage in ridicule in matters of faith.
He said that Finland is trying for its own part to establish preconditions for finding some kind of sensible dialogue.
Vanhanen travels to Kuwait on Monday, to promote the sale of Finnish armoured vehicles. Speaking on a television interview programme on Saturday, he said that in addition to promoting Finnish exports, he will discuss the uproar over the Danish cartoons with the country’s leader.
Vanhanen also said that he had been in contact several times in recent days with Danish Prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. He added that it is possible that during Finland’s turn at the European Union Presidency, there will have to be discussions with the Islamic world.
Vanhanen refused to offer the media any instructions on how to act with respect to the controversial cartoons.
