AlHijjah 23, 1433, Nov 8, 2012, SPA -- Leaders from Asia-Pacific countries called Thursday for greater mutual respect between cultures, as they gathered for the annual Bali Democracy Forum, dpa reported. "We need to encourage greater respect for different values, faiths and religious beliefs," Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the leaders assembled on his country's resort island of Bali. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Afghan President Hamid Karzai were among the leaders and officials from more than 50 countries attending. "We should not allow irresponsible acts such as the defamation of religion to divide us," Yudhoyono said in a speech opening the forum. An anti-Islam film made in the United States sparked deadly protests in the Muslim world in September. Its director was sentenced to prison in the United States Wednesday for violating his probation on unrelated charges. "We should continuously promote harmonious relations among civilizations, and a global culture of peace and moderation," Yudhoyono said. South Korean President Lee Myung Bak said democracy was flourishing in the Asia-Pacific region, citing recent reforms in Myanmar since a 2010 election. He also praised Indonesia as an example of a democratic Muslim-majority country.
