President Mary McAleese today paid tribute to Muslim leaders in Ireland for their "exemplary approach" to the controversy over the publication of images of the prophet Muhammad.
There were ugly and often violent demonstrations in the Muslim world and in parts of the west after European newspapers and magazines published cartoons of the prophet regarded as offensive by any Muslims.
The Muslim community in Ireland demonstrated today with the largest rally, involving about 500 people, marching past the Danish embassy in Dublin. They carried placards, baring messages such as: "Muhammad is the Messenger of Peace"; "Oriental and Islam caricatures are unacceptable"; "Islam means peace and respect for all religions".
Mrs McAleese told the Jordanian parliament in Ammam today: "I am very conscious of the sense of hurt and anger felt in the Islamic world following the publication of images of the Prophet Muhammad."
She acknowledged that efforts to improve relations between the West and the Middle East had faltered in recent years but said it was important to resist those exploiting "powerful emotions" raised by the controversy.
"In this regard, I am proud to record here today the exemplary approach been taken by the Islamic community in Ireland and its leaders. They have expressed their views clearly in recent days but they have worked assiduously to maintain calm," she said.
She said the challenges of improving relations had become "more complex, and more dangerous" and recognised that the difference in the standard of living between the West and the Middle East was a cause of disharmony.
"Ignorance of one another, suspicion of one another, fear, misconceptions, mutual incomprehension - these are now the highly combustible fuel that ignites conflict and energises the pernicious myth that our cultures, our faiths and civilisations are inherently incompatible," Mrs McAleese said.
The President was speaking on the second day of her four-day State visit to Jordan.