The official spokesperson and Director of Public Diplomacy at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Abu Zeid, revealed that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received a call on August 4 from Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen. The conversation centered around the recurring incidents of desecration of the Holy Quran in Denmark, deplorable acts amounting to religious contempt threatening peaceful coexistence in societies.
The Ministry spokesperson explained that the Danish Foreign Minister expressed his country’s regret over such occurrences in Denmark, assuring that these irresponsible actions do not represent Danish societal values. He mentioned that his government is considering the introduction of laws and measures to prevent a recurrence of such unfortunate events. He also pledged his country’s commitment to safeguarding the premises of foreign diplomatic missions in Denmark, with the Egyptian mission being of paramount importance.
Minister Shoukry strongly affirmed Egypt’s rejection of all crimes of Quran desecration, expressing his consternation at their recurrence in Denmark without decisive action against the perpetrators. He highlighted that this provokes the feelings of millions of Muslims worldwide, contradicts human rights values and peaceful coexistence, and fuels extremism within societies.
Abu Zeid added that the Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of countries taking decisive action to stop such incidents and prevent their future occurrence. He underlined the necessity of tangible evidence of governments’ commitment to protect the sanctity of individuals’ beliefs and to counter hate speech against specific cultures and religions, thereby promoting societal peace.
The spokesperson revealed that during the call, the ministers discussed the progress of bilateral relations between the two countries in economic, cultural, and parliamentary fields, aiming to broaden cooperation mechanisms in the future. Minister Shoukry praised the exceptional role of the Danish private sector in ongoing projects in Egypt, particularly in the areas of transportation and infrastructure, looking forward to jointly supporting the presence of more Danish private sector in Egypt.
The Danish Foreign Minister concluded by expressing his country’s appreciation for various frameworks of cooperation with Egypt, affirming the Danish Prime Minister’s eagerness to welcome the Egyptian President for a visit to Copenhagen, aiming to strengthen bilateral relations with Egypt and push them towards broader horizons in the future.
