This is frightening!…
Turkey suggests EU should strengthen anti-defamation laws
Turkey, a country that has witnessed nearly 1,200 deaths from honor killings and family feuds in the last five years, has voluteered and is doing a terrific job mediating between the EU and the Muslim World.
Today Agora reports that Turkey is asking the EU to examine its legislation.
Agora also has a report that the EU is considering the Arab demands!
Sure Enough! Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul has called upon EU states to extend their anti-defamation laws to ensure respect for Islam:
The idea was rejected by the Netherlands which also opposes a European Commission initiative for a joint UN resolution with islamic states.
The Turkish minister was attending a two-day informal EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Salzburg on Friday and Saturday (10-11 March) where he opened a discussion on the dialogue between Europe and the muslim world on Saturday.
According to a written text of Mr Gul’s address circulated among journalists, he stated “We cannot afford to see that people around the world start believing that respect for faith and religion do not make part of European values, whereas the opposite is true.”
Mr Gul added “As a matter of fact, there are legal restraints against such defamation. However, these restraints sometimes only apply to the established religions of the concerned countries.”
“I would like to call on you here to start a process of re-examination of your legislations to ensure that these restraints apply to all religions equally.”
Mr Gul’s remarks appear to point to the double standards of EU countries which have legislation against antisemitism, but not against islamophobia.
Asked by reporters about Mr Gul’s ideas, the Dutch foreign minister Bernard Bot said “We have freedom of speech. That means that Mr Gul can say what he wants and I can say what I want. And I think that this [Mr Gul’s idea] is superfluous.”
The Volokh Conspiracy describes the cartoons in detail today noting how tame the cartoons actually are.
TigerHawk has honest thoughts on Muhammad.
