THE HAGUE, 25/02/06 - The Lower House has called on Foreign Minister Ben Bot to give EU foreign affairs envoy Javier Solana a public dressing-down. But Bot considers this unwise. He pointed out that Denmark has asked the Netherlands to let the cartoon affair rest.

In a telephone conversation, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller has asked Bot not to rake up the cartoons affair any more. "They are our cartoons and there must now be an end to this harping on about them," as Bot translated the recent phone conversation with his Danish counterpart during a Lower House debate on EU foreign policy.

EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels Monday and will among other things discuss the aftermath of the uproar over the Danish caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. Denmark wants the EU to concentrate now on a constructive dialogue with the Islamic countries to cultivate more understanding for one another's culture.

A House majority however demanded that Bot publicly haul Solana over the coals. Earlier this month, and without consulting the member states, Solana drew up a joint statement with the UN and the organisation of Islamic nations (OIC) in which the cartoons were described as "offensive."

According to the conservatives (VVD), Labour (PvdA), Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) and the Socialist Party (SP), Solana far exceeded his authority. He does not have the authority to issue statements without prior discussion with member states. And absolutely not if controversial subjects are involved which have scarcely been discussed as yet, stressed VVD spokesman Van Baalen.

Bot said he has already sought contact with the Austrian presidency of the EU to make it clear that the Netherlands was unhappy with the initiative. But he refused to take up the suggestion of openly rebuking Solana. "There will be no public chastisement. That is bad for Europe's image in the rest of the world." Bot will therefore limit himself to touching on the matter during the private lunch at which the foreign affairs envoy will be present.