Timing of Danish PM's visit to India 'not optimal'

New Delhi, Mar 18 (UNI) The government today said India and Denmark had found that the timing of the proposed visit of Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to India was not ''optimal'' but added that both sides looked forward to his visit at an early date.

''The two sides have found that the proposed timing for the visit was not optimal,'' a spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry said.

The spokesman did not give any reason for the cancellation of the visit.

So far there had been no official announcement of the visit.

However, reports today said the controversy over cartoons of Prophet Mohammed which had appeared in a Danish newspaper and had resulted in violent protests in many parts of the world, were the reason behind the cancellation of the visit.

Sources said the government did not want a fresh wave of angry protests on the issue after violence had erupted in Lucknow during the visit of US President George Bush to India from March one-three.

Describing the Indo-Danish relationship as ''strong and excellent,'' the spokesman said it was moving into a new phase focused on political dialogue and economic cooperation instead of the decade-old development cooperation which has been phased out by the end of 2005.

''The visit of Danish Prime Minister will highlight this evolution,'' he said.

He said India and Denmark would continue to establish a new cooperation framework in areas of mutual interest including bio-technology, maritime transport, double taxation and the establishment of a joint commission.

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