STOCKHOLM: Diplomats of Muslim countries gave Sweden’s prime minister high marks on Friday for his efforts to defuse tension over the publication of a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that several countries have denounced.

After meeting ambassadors from 22 Muslim countries over the issue, Prime Minster Frederik Reinfeldt said the talks went well but it was too soon to say tensions would not flare up again.

Muslim countries, including Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, have expressed anger over a newspaper’s publication of a blasphemous drawing of the Prophet Muhammad.

The paper said it displayed the drawing in defence of free speech. Reinfeldt’s invitation to the diplomats, and the peaceful nature of demonstrations so far, have been in stark contrast to the storm of protests that followed the publication of cartoons of the Prophet in a Danish paper last year.—Reuters