The Turkish foreign minister has said that despite Turkey’s harsh reactions to Quran burning incidents in Sweden and Denmark, the Islamic world had not responded sufficiently, adding that thanks to Turkey’s initiatives, Islamic countries will now come together to collectively take concrete measures in response to such acts.

During a press conference after he met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto in Istanbul on last Monday, Turkish foreign minister and former intelligence chief Hakan Fidan responded to journalists’ questions regarding increasing incidents of Quran burning. He said there has been a general rise in xenophobia and Islamophobia in Western countries; however, he specifically pointed out that in the Nordic countries, especially in Sweden and Denmark, disrespecting the Quran has become a trend.

“In the past Turkey had shown serious reactions to these insults, but there was not significant participation from the Islamic world. However, on June 28, after the disrespect shown to our sacred book on the first day of the Islamic holiday, we saw that Islamic countries embraced Turkey’s position and also took a strong stance themselves,” Fidan told journalists.

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Fidan also said he had meetings with his counterparts from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt as well as Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid al-Dbeibeh and that consensus was reached on urgently convening the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He said their primary focus now is on determining concrete steps that can be taken collectively, adding, “Because unless the Islamic world presents a unified response on this issue, we believe there won’t be enough awareness in Western countries.”

Continue here: Nordic Monitor