STOCKHOLM, March 21: Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds quit on Tuesday after a row over the closure of a website with cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), embarrassing Prime Minister Goran Persson six months ahead of elections.

Social Democrat (SDP) leader Persson, behind in polls that favour the conservative opposition in September’s vote, had for months resisted calls to sack the unpopular minister over her response to the Asian tsunami, in which 500 Swedes died.

But she was forced to resign when it was revealed this week that she had not given full information about her role in the closure of a site belonging to a far-right political party which published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) offensive to Muslims.—Reuters