EU: European Commission president José Manuel Barroso held talks with EU leaders yesterday about how to halt violent protests prompted by the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper.
Mr Barroso spoke to Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel and the leaders of Sweden and Denmark to express solidarity with the countries affected by the protests and to try to win "a return to peaceful debate" over the crisis.
The EU also sent a message to states hosting its missions and embassies to ensure that they provide security for its citizens and diplomats.
"It is, of course, for the member states to deal with freedom of expression and the limits of freedom of expression," said Mr Barroso's spokesman. "The commission calls on all concerned to return to peaceful debate, as is appropriate for democratic and pluralist societies."
British prime minister Tony Blair expressed his support for Denmark, which saw its embassy in Syria burned down by protesters at the weekend, following talks in the morning with Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
"We understand the offence caused by the cartoons depicting the Prophet and of course regret that this has happened. Such things help no one," said Mr Blair's spokesman. "But nothing can justify the violence aimed at European embassies or at the country of Denmark."
The diplomatic efforts to defuse the crisis took place against a continued wave of violent protests across the world over the publication of the cartoons. The worst violence was seen in Afghanistan, where several people died in protests, but there were also demonstrations in Indonesia, India, Gaza, Thailand, Iran and New Zealand.
In France yesterday, police evacuated the Paris offices of a newspaper that had published the cartoons after it received a bomb threat. The headquarters of France Soir were evacuated around 1pm and staff were allowed back into the building two hours later when police gave the all-clear.
Meanwhile, in London, a man who dressed as a suicide bomber during the Muslim anti-cartoon protests outside the Danish embassy apologised "wholeheartedly" for his behaviour.
Omar Khayam (22), a student, said it was "wrong, unjustified and insensitive" to protest dressed as a suicide bomber.