Slovenian president on brief visit to the Emirate of Qatar

Doha, Qatar, 02/15/2006 | press release

En route to an official visit to Sri Lanka, the President of Slovenia, Dr. Janez Drnovšek, stopped today in Doha, capital city of the Emirate of Qatar. On behalf of the Qatari government he was greeted and welcomed at the airport by the Minister of Justice, Hassan Abdulla Al Ganim.

In Doha, President Drnovšek recorded an interview for the local television station Al Jazeera, which is one of the most widely viewed TV stations in the Middle East. In connection with the unrest that has erupted in numerous Islamic countries around the world following the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that are offensive to Muslims, Dr. Drnovšek noted that this was a warning that in the dialogue between religions and cultures, all participants must respect the values of others. He underlined the need for patience and for the avoidance of all forms of violence and exclusion, as well as the need for an apology from those that have exceeded the sensitive boundaries marked by the values of others.