Cartoons, terrorism
top agenda at US-Islamic World Forum
KuwaitTimes.net
DOHA, Qatar: The
top US envoy for public diplomacy yesterday said caricatures of the
Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) were 'offensive' and 'blasphemous' but
condemned violent Muslim protests that have killed at least 29
people across the Islamic world.
Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes also used Muslim anger over the
drawings to underline the need for Arab leaders create free
societies and denounce terrorism as an 'international pariah.' "Many
American newspapers chose not to reprint the cartoons depicting the
Prophet (PBUH) because they recognise they are deeply offensive,
even blasphemous to the precious convictions of our Muslim friends
and neighbours," Hughes said at the US-Islamic World Forum in Doha,
Qatar. She declared that protesters had been wrong to endanger
lives and damage property and blamed some governments for inciting
rage among their people.
In the aftermath of the Sept 11 attacks on the United States, she
said, extremists were using the cartoon controversy to ignite a
clash of civilisations. What's more, said Hughes, the longtime
associated of US President George W. Bush; the terror strikes in the
United States had forced the American administration to understand
that it would not have security inside its borders without ensuring
liberty and justice abroad. "In the aftermath of September 11,
America came to recognise that there will be no real security, no
lasting peace, until America stands with those brave voices crying
out for liberty and justice throughout the world," Hughes said.
After the conference, Hughes will visit two pan-Arab telecasting
giants in the Persian Gulf: Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera.
Both broadcasters beam broad coverage of the Middle East and have
drawn the wrath of the Bush Administration for reporting events from
the Arab point of view. They have far more viewers than Alhurra, an
Arabic language service launched by the United States to counter
what are seen as negative reports by Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera. The
turmoil over the prophet cartoons is expected to be a major topic in
both visits with Arab anger still at the boil.
In her speech, Hughes highlighted recent dramatic changes in the
Middle East and Islamic world, including Syria's withdrawal of
troops from Lebanon after more than two decades, municipal elections
in Saudi Arabia and women gaining the right to vote in Kuwait.
"Throughout the world today, brave leaders are challenging the
status quo, advocating change, seeking to unleash that most powerful
force of human freedom to make their societies more just, more
honest, more open, more accountable," said Hughes.
She also noted the sweeping victory in Palestinian legislative
election by the militant Hamas group, saying Washington had not
changed its policy that calls for a two-state solution to the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict. She said Palestinian freedom and
independence required Hamas to "enounce violence and terror (and)
recognise Israel's right to exist." Hamas has killed hundreds of
Israelis in suicide bombings and other armed attacks and has so far
refused to recognize the Jewish state's right to exist or to agree
that it would negotiate with its leaders.
Hughes' message to the Islamic world on Saturday was clear terrorism
must end. "We know from their own statements and writings that the
extremists' real agenda is take over one or more of the proud nation
states in the Islamic world and impose a super-state in which
violent extremists would dictate the fate of millions," she said.
"We must do for terror what was done to slavery and make it an
international pariah."--AP
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