AMMAN, Feb. 15 (Xinhuanet)-- The European Union is willing to restore strong relations with the Islamic nations, which were soured over the cartoons of Prophet Mohammad, Javier Solana, the visiting EU foreign policy chief, said on Wednesday.

    During a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Solana said the aim of his five-nation Middle East tour is to build bridges between Europe and the Muslim world with mutual understanding and dialogue.

    The 25-member EU hoped the Islamic nations help calm the situation to avoid escalating the crisis, he added.

    Danish daily Jyllands-Poste first published 12 cartoons last September, including one showing the Islamic religion's founder wearing a bomb-shaped turban.

    The controversial cartoons then appeared in other European newspapers, sparking widespread protests and a boycott of Danish products in the Muslim world.

    King Abdullah II said that the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad by some European newspapers was inexcusable, and they had insulted Islam under the pretext of freedom of expression. He called on all European countries and the EU to prevent recurrence of such offending acts.

    Solana arrived here Wednesday after visiting Saudi Arabia and Egypt as part of his Middle East tour which will also take him to the Palestinian territories and Israel. Enditem