التقرير بالانجليزية: Report In English

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التقرير بالانجليزية:

Prophet drawings anger Saudi consumers By The Copenhagen Post Saudi Arabian consumers threaten to protest drawings of the prophet Mohammed by boycotting Arla Foods

Arla Foods is concerned that a boycott of the company's products in Saudi Arabia could cost billions if it takes widespread effect. Saudi Arabian religious and political leaders encouraged consumers to boycott Danish-based Arla Foods' products during last Friday's weekly prayer service.

Since then, the call to has been repeated on national TV stations and newspapers accompanied by pictures of Arla products.

Arla, one of the world's largest producers of dairy products, has earnings worth DKK 3b in the Middle East and expected to open a major dairy facility in two weeks in Saudi Arabia.

Religious leaders called for the boycott as a way to respond to drawings of the prophet Mohammed printed in daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September. The newspaper printed 12 drawings of the prophet Mohammed last year as a way to challenge what it considered the intimidating tactics of fundamental islamists.

One Saudi Arabian chain of supermarkets has already removed Arla products from its shelves and called for an official apology.

Arla company feared the boycott could spread.

'The situation is escalating very quickly right now.' said Finn Hansen, a department head for Arla. 'The development in the last hours is quite worrisome.'

Hansen said that major partners in Saudi Arabia had summoned Arla employees to meetings in the next days.

'They have attempted to make us denounce the drawings. The situation is critical because the Saudi consumers react collectively. We're afraid of being hit by a wave of consumer anger,' he said.

Denmark's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Hans Klingenberg, confirmed that the threat of a widespread boycott had increased in recent days and that Danish companies were concerned.

'There's a risk that in Denmark, we have underestimated the offence that the drawings have caused - not just among Muslims in Denmark but in the whole Muslim world. We should take the threat very seriously,' said Klingenberg.
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