Posted on 02/18/2008 1:10:21 PM PST by knighthawk
TEHERAN, 19/02/08 - Iran has suggested that it will boycott Dutch products if MP Geert Wilders shows his Koran film in March as planned.
The Iranian parliament yesterday urged "the Dutch and Danish governments not to let the Zionism materialize its satanic objectives in the name of honourable nations of Holland and Denmark," according to Iranian press agency IRNA. This apparently was a reference to republication of controversial cartoons b a Danish newspaper and to Wilders' film plans. "We, the representatives of parliament, condemn the satanic act, and call on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to show strong reaction to such sacrilege of Islamic sanctities and revise Iran's political and trade cooperation with those countries," IRNA quoted the MPs as saying in their statement.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government has also directly asked the Netherlands to ban the Koran film that Wilders wants to broadcast in March, according to IRNA. Iranian Justice Minister Gholam-Hossein Elham has written a letter to his Dutch counterpart, Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin. Without actually naming Wilders' Party for Freedom (PVV), the Iranian minister said: "You can stop the proceedings of this satanic and conspiratorial movement on the basis of the European Treaty for Human Rights."
According to Elham, the film should not come out under the pretext of freedom of expression. "We also respect freedom of expression, but the insulting of sacredness and ethical values under that pretext is totally unacceptable," he added. He also warned of unrest in the Muslim world if the film still comes out.
Premier Jan-Peter Balkenende said on 18 January that he sees nothing in banning Wilders' film in advance. "In the Netherlands, freedom of expression and of religion applies," he stressed. "People can however go to court after the film has come out, for example if they feel insulted."
Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen repeated the government position yesterday. The Netherlands and Iran have different views, he said. He emphasised that parliamentarians are free in the Netherlands and that Wilders view is not a government position.
Ping
Cartoon row continues
Tehran - Iranian MPs have called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to review ties with Denmark and the Netherlands in response to the reprinting of a cartoon depicting the Prophet Mohammed. In a letter to the president, 215 members of the 290-seat assembly said Iran should reconsider diplomatic and trade ties in light of what they called, “an anti-Islamic and Islamophobic current’’ in the two European nations.
A few days ago, Iran called on the Netherlands to ban a film about the Koran - which is still in production - by populist Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen dismissed the suggestion. Mr Verhagen said that Iran’s demand indicated that Teheran is does not have much respect for freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
In 2006, the cartoons led to protests and rioting in many Muslim countries. Last week, Danish and Dutch newspapers reprinted the cartoon as a protest after police in Århus arrested three men on suspicion of plotting to murder the cartoonist who drew it.
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5648190/Cartoon-row-continues
Last I checked weren’t Holland and Denmark islamic countries?
Gee, I think that is just peachy! Let’s watch Iran further isolate itself from civilization!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.