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Iranian FM Blasts Italian PM's Remarks on Islam
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi on Thursday blasted Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for his "irresponsible" remarks saying that the Western civilization is "superior" to the Islamic one.
"At a time when the future of the human being relies on the mutual cooperation among the civilizations, such rude statements are unacceptable," Kharazi said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.
Berlusconi said on Wednesday in Berlin that the Western civilization is "superior to the Islamic one as it (Western civilization) consists of a value system that has given people widespread prosperity in those countries that embrace it."
"Western civilization also guarantees respect for human rights and religion," and "this respect certainly does not exist in Islamic countries," he said.
Berlusconi' remarks had unleashed a firestorm of protest. The Arab League denounced the premier's remarks as "racist" and world leaders either condemned his remarks or studiously ignored them.
Kharazi asked the Italian prime minister to revise his viewpoint and correct his remarks.
"Multi-culturalism and dialogue of civilizations are the basic values of a democratic and liberal society," the Iranian foreign minister noted, adding that Berlusconi's remarks can have dangerous consequences and create a gap between the nations.
The Muslim world has earlier also protested U.S. President George W. Bush for calling his fight against terrorism a "crusade" -- a term that recalls the mediaeval clash between Christianity and Islam.
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