Nato Allies Have Been Looking At Various

Consensus And Dialogue Have Always Played A Significant Role, Especially In Danish Society. Of Course There Are Basic Values That Must Be Respected, But Within This Framework, We Are A Liberal And Tolerant Country Where Everyone Can Live As They Desire And According To Their Tradition. That Is The Danish Way.

Caricatures Are An Important Part Of Our Culture Of Debate. They Should Defuse Political Spats Through Humor And Irony. It Is About Making A Strong Statement But Softening It With A Wink. So Danes Do Not Get Too Upset About Caricatures. None Of Us Is Interested In Insulting Muslims.

More Than Forty Years Of Communist Rule In Central And Eastern Europe Resulted In An Unhappy And Artificial Division Of Europe. It Is This Dark Chapter Of European History That We Now Have The Opportunity To Close.

I Was Deeply Distressed That The Cartoons Were Seen By Many Muslims As An Attempt By Denmark To Mark And Insult Or Behave Disrespectfully Towards Islam Or The Prophet Mohammed.

Perhaps We Underestimated The Challenges In Afghanistan In The Past. That's Why We Are Now Strengthening And Intensifying Our Commitment.