Afghan foreign minister condemns Danish reprint of Prophet Muhammad cartoon

Afghanistan's foreign minister on Monday condemned a Danish cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad, saying that freedom of speech should not be used "to make a billion Muslims cry."

Rangin Dadfar Spanta told reporters during a visit to Denmark that he respected differences in cultures, but suggested Danish newspapers abused the freedom of expression when they reprinted the cartoon three weeks ago.

Spanta said freedom of speech should be used to promote "equality and peace between nations" and to exchange information.

"The freedom of speech must not be used to make a billion Muslims cry," he said.

The drawing, which depicts Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban, was one of 12 Danish newspaper cartoons that triggered major protests in Muslim countries in 2006.

Newspapers in Denmark reprinted the cartoon Feb. 13 to promote freedom of speech after Danish police said they had uncovered a plot to kill the artist who drew it.

The reprinting sparked protests in several Muslim countries, with Sudan President Omar al-Bashir calling for a boycott of Denmark in the Muslim world.

Hundreds of demonstrators set Danish and Dutch flags ablaze in northern Afghanistan on Sunday to protest the cartoon and a forthcoming Dutch film criticizing the Quran.

Sudan's ambassador was summoned to Denmark's Foreign Ministry on Monday to explain the boycott of Danish goods.

After the meeting, Ambassador Mohamed Ali Eltom told reporters that medical supplies would be exempt from the boycott, including insulin from the Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk.

He also said Danes would be barred from entering Sudan, but Danish citizens already in the African country would not be expelled.

"The Danes who are in Sudan are very well respected and protected," he said. "We're are a friendly nation and we're a peaceful country."

In response to al-Bashir's comments last week, Danish Aid Minister Ulla Toernaes said Thursday that Denmark would oppose any international debt relief deal for Sudan.