Does Annan support press freedom?

He says he does...but then asks people not to reprint the cartoons.

United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan wishes editors wouldn't get so worked up about freedom of expression that they feel justified reprinting the Muhammad cartoons that have enraged some Muslims in recent days.

"Let me say that, honestly, I do not understand why any newspaper will publish the cartoons today," Annan told reporters in New York City on Thursday.

"It is insensitive. It is offensive. It is provocative, and they should see what has happened around the world.

"This does not mean that I am against freedom of speech, or freedom of the press. Yes, I am for that.

Now that the cartoons are such a new topic, reprinting them actually makes some sense. I think the press should certainly print the extra cartoons that were taken to the middle east by the Danish muslims trying to stir up trouble. Earlier this week, the National Post printed many cartoons from the Muslim Press about Jews and Israel - because of the context they did not insult Jews. Similarly, reprinting these cartoons, in the interests of the news, shouldn't insult anybody.