HoustonChronicle.com - Annan Doesn't See Syria, Iran in Protests

HoustonChronicle.com - Annan Doesn't See Syria, Iran in Protests

Annan Doesn't See Syria, Iran in Protests
© 2006 The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday he's seen no evidence to prove the U.S. allegation that Syria and Iran have roiled anti-Western demonstrations over cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Still, Annan said, those two, just like all other countries, should have prevented rioters from attacking foreign diplomatic missions.

Foreign missions, especially of Denmark and Norway, have been targeted in Syria, Lebanon, Iran and some other Muslim countries. The mobs were protesting depictions of Islam's most sacred figure in a Danish newspaper and other publications in Europe.

Last Wednesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said: "Iran and Syria have gone out of their way to inflame sentiments and to use this to their own purposes. And the world ought to call them on it."

In an interview on CNN's "The Situation Room" Monday, Annan was asked about a comment by Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who said he agreed with Rice.

"Well, I do not have any evidence to go by that. You had demonstrations all over the world," Annan said.

"The government has a responsibility to prevent these things from happening," he said.

Had they not been able to do that, Annan said, "They should be prepared to pay for the damage done to Danish, Norwegian and the other embassies concerned."