Algeria says Danish foreign minister apologizes for recent Quran burnings

By Esat Firat

ALGERIA (AA) - Algeria said on Monday that Denmark's foreign minister apologized for a recent string of Quran burnings by far-right extremists in front of the diplomatic missions of several Muslim nations, including Algiers'.

During a phone call with his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf, Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed his regret over the burnings of the Muslim holy book in Copenhagen, according to a statement by Algeria's Foreign Ministry.

Offering his apologies for the acts, Rasmussen emphasized that they were unacceptable and entirely contrary to Denmark's tradition of tolerance, the statement added.

Rasmussen also told Attaf that Denmark's government is in the process of finishing a draft law aimed at putting an end to Quran burnings and would present it to lawmakers.

During the conversation, Attaf and Rasmussen also discussed preparations for an upcoming joint ministerial meeting between African and Northern European countries, scheduled to take place in Algeria on Oct. 16-18.

Recent months have seen repeated acts of Quran burning, desecration, or attempts to do so by Islamophobic figures or groups, especially in northern European and Nordic countries, drawing outrage from Muslim countries and the world.