Islamic countries to give joint response to Quran desecration in Europe - Turkish Minister

ISTANBUL: Islamic countries will give a collective response to the recent Quran-burning demonstrations in European countries after an emergency meeting of foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday.

The emergency meeting of the OIC foreign ministers will take place on July 31 to discuss the situation with the Quran desecration in Sweden and Denmark, reported Sputnik quoting the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

"At the meeting on July 31, the OIC will voice its protest against the Quran desecration acts. I am certain that a number of decisions will be made. For the first time, the Islamic world will take joint action and express a joint position," Fidan said at a joint press conference with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, in Budapest.

Ankara considers it a mistake to profile such acts as expressions of freedom of opinion, the minister added.

On June 28, the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, a protest took place outside Stockholm's main mosque, during which a Quran was burned. The Swedish police authorized the demonstration. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the authorization was "lawful but inappropriate." A similar demonstration took place in Sweden in January when Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan burned the Muslim holy book in front of the Turkish embassy.

Over the past two weeks, multiple Quran-burning demonstrations took place in Denmark, carried out by the Danish Patriots extremist group, including in front of the Turkish embassy.

Most Muslim countries have condemned the demonstrations, and some have summoned the Swedish and Danish ambassadors to issue them notes of protest. The Quran-burning demonstrations in Sweden was also one of the reasons cited by Turkey for blocking Stockholm's accession to NATO.

--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK