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Muslims put a note card in a Carrefour supermarket, calling for boycotts of goods from Denmark in Cairo, capital of Egypt.

    STOCKHOLM, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Freedom of expression and respect for people's religion are basic values in Danish society, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Arab media on Thursday.

    According to the Copenhagen Post, the prime minister sought to present Denmark's point of view in the on-going dispute between Muslim countries and Denmark over daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten's publication of 12 Mohammed caricatures.

    The 12 cartoons were published by Jyllands-Posten in September, 2005. One showed prophet Mohammed wearing a turban shaped as a bomb.

    Some Muslims, who deem caricatures blasphemous, have reacted angrily, threatening Danes, calling for goods boycotts and demanding an apology.

People protest outside the embassy of Denmark in Damascus, Feb 2. (Xinhua/Reuters photo)

    "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I have initiated what I would call a media offensive aimed at Arab countries," said Rasmussen. "We have to admit that this is just not a case between Denmark and a number of Arab governments."

    The prime minister acknowledged that the controversy has spread to the streets in Arabic countries.

    "That's why it's important to get in touch with the Arabic countries," said the prime minister, who after meeting in the Foreign Policy Committee spoke to Arabic TV station Al Arabiya.

    During his interview with Al Arabiya, Rasmussen took the opportunity to explain that the principles behind freedom of expression and respect for other religions are both important values in Denmark. Enditem

A Palestinian boy attends a rally in the West Bank to protest against caricatures seen as offensive to Islam's Prophet Mohammad. The cartoons were published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in September. (Xinhua/Reuters photo)

Dozens of Palestinian militants on Thursday stormed into the office of EU in Gaza City and shut it down to protest against caricatures seen as offensive to Islam's Prophet Mohammad. (Xinhua/AFP)