Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini told his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul -Gheit that his country would maintain dialogue with the Arab "world in a "frank, brotherly and responsible" spirit.

Italy would be also committed to removing misunderstanding, intolerance and prejudgments that pose a threat to all, he said in a message to Abul-Gheit.

MENA learned Wednesday that Fini's stated position came in a message in response to a message Abul -Gheit had sent on the matter.

Insulting religions is improper and harmful to all the faithful, he said. He noted that the personal sense was needed to identify the very thin line of the art of cartoon being an art based on sarcasm and ridiculing religions, being totally unacceptable.

In his message, Fini also said one must genuinely understand the feelings that were sparked by the publication of the anti- Prophet Mohammed cartoons in the Danish press and the harm it caused to the majority of Islamic communities.

23-2-2006