UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced his concern on Thursday at the controversy surrounding cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which were first published in a Danish newspaper, and urged the press to respect all religions.

The secretary-general "believes that the freedom of the press should always be exercised in a way that fully respects the religious beliefs and tenets of all religions," his spokesman told reporters.

Annan also "believes in the importance of overcoming misunderstandings and animosities between people of different beliefs and cultural traditions through peaceful dialogue and mutual respect," the spokesman said.

Danish daily Jyllands-Poste published 12 cartoons of Mohammed last September, including a portrayal of the Islamic religion's founder wearing a bomb-shaped turban. The cartoons have provoked a firestorm of indignation in the Muslim world and a boycott of Danish products in most Arab countries.

The paper's editor finally issued an apology late Monday for offending Muslims, after long refusing to apologize for publishing the caricatures and insisting on the right to freedom of expression.

The cartoons, which are considered blasphemous by most Muslims, were reprinted over the past few days in other European papers.

Source: Xinhua