STOCKHOLM, Sept 5: Swedish Muslims said on Wednesday they had called off a planned demonstration against a blasphemous cartoon published in a newspaper, following talks with the prime minister.

“There is no reason anymore to demonstrate again,” the head of the Muslim cultural centre at Oerebro, Jamal lahamdi, who had organised two earlier protests said.

The next protest had been planned for Friday.

“The dialogue is good.

The talks organised by the prime minister yesterday are a very good step,” he added.

“I hope the crisis is over now. All the people here were involved, talked a lot.” Prime Minister Fredirk Reinfeldt said after Tuesday’s talks with Swedish Muslim organisations, “I regret if people have taken offence or feel offended” by the cartoon in a local newspaper, Nerikes Allehanda.

“I personally would never intentionally act in a way that could be perceived by other religions as provocative or offensive,” he said.—AFP

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