Protests against cartoons' publication

Hundreds of people have marched in Auckland protesting over the decision by two New Zealand newspapers to publish cartoons which have angered Muslims worldwide.

The protestors carried placards denouncing the publication of the cartoons by Wellington's Dominion Post and The Press in Christchurch as they walked down Queen Street.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Helen Clark was understood to be taking advice from officials before commenting on the issue.

There is a possibility that New Zealand could be hit by a trade ban from Iran worth $100 million in lost exports, which would be felt largely in the meat and dairy industries. Iran has said it will review all economic ties with countries where the cartoons, which depict Muhammad in a way Muslms believe is blasphemous, have been published.

Helen Clark was reported to be speaking to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials before making a statement. Federated Farmers has refused to speak out on the possibility of a boycott, saying any comment could inflame an already dangerous situation.

The Herald has decided not to publish the cartoons.

Javed Khan, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, said editors should "realise the serious implications and damage their papers have caused by such an irresponsible, insensitive and hurtful act against the Muslims".

He added: "Good sense should prevail. The mature and honourable thing to do now is for the Dominion Post and the Christchurch Press to apologise and retract such printing."

A protest against publication of the cartoons, organised by the Pakistan Association of New Zealand, was expected on Auckland's Queen Street this afternoon.

New Zealand embassy staff in Muslim countries have been put on high alert but have not yet encountered any problems.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman Rob Hole said today: "The posts closest to the action have been instructed to contact [us] by phone overnight if there were any issues, and there have been no responses. We continue to monitor it very closely."

New Zealand has embassies in the Middle East in Iran, Saudi Arabia and one is being establishing in Egypt. A maximum of five or six New Zealanders are at each embassy. There are greater numbers in New Zealand's South East Asian embassies.

Meat and Wool New Zealand chairman Jeff Grant said the papers' decision to publish the images had the potential to damage the long-standing high reputation of New Zealand exports.

"We've had an association with Iran, for example, for now 40 years -- it's a relationship that's been developed over a long period of time," Mr Grant said.

Islamic experts say it is likely to take a top level intervention to prevent the loss of exports to Iran, Newstalk ZB reported.

National's trade spokesman Murray McCully was also reluctant to comment. He said the Iranian threat came at a time of world concern at the country's nuclear programme, and comments made to Israel by the Iranian president.

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres said: "The publication of the cartoons has caused great offence to Muslims, and one has to ask what media purpose has been served by their publication."

Overseas, thousands of Syrian demonstrators stormed the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus, setting fire to both buildings. Observers say the protest started peacefully but then got out of control.

A number of other countries have published the cartoons, citing press freedom, including Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Hungary.

The BBC has shown the cartoons on TV, but only in the context of appearing in foreign newspapers.

- NEWSTALK ZB, HERALD ONLINE STAFF, NZPA