OneWorld.net (U.S.)

The Danish newspaper at the heart of the Mohammed cartoon clash has agreed to discuss the controversy in a special session at the World Editors Forum conference to be held in Moscow in June.

A senior representative of Jyllands-Posten, which published the cartoons that set off a furore in the Islamic world, will take part in a panel discussion on Lessons From the Mohammed Cartoon Clash at the World Editors Forum, which runs concurrently with the World Newspaper Congress from 4 to 7 June next.

The newspaper will be joined by Eric Le Boucher, Editor of France's Le Monde, Imtiaz Alam, General Secretary of the Pakistan-based South Asian Free Media Association, Hakeem Bello, Executive Editor of the National Interest in Nigeria, and other participants to be announced.

"Sixteen years after the fatwa against Salman Rushdie and his "Satanic Verses", the clash between freedom of expression and religious values has exploded once more," said Bertrand Pecquerie, Director of the World Editors Forum. "Editors are discussing threats to press freedom and the question of media responsibility in a world where information travels instantaneously. The panellists will bring the debate to the WEF conference."

At least 1,500 newspaper publishers, CEOs, managing directors, chief editors, other senior executives and their guests, from all over the world, are expected to attend the World Editors Forum, the World Newspaper Congress and Info Services Expo 2006, the global meetings of the world's press.

SOURCE: World Association of Newspapers

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