In Europe, senior British, French and Italian officials criticized the drawings. Austria, which holds the European Union presidency, expressed concern over the escalating crisis. "I believe that the re-publication of these cartoons has been unnecessary, it has been insensitive, it has been disrespectful and it has been wrong," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said. In London, hundreds of demonstrators converged on Denmark's Embassy and burned the Danish flag. On its part, CNN has chosen to not show the cartoons out of respect for Islam.--SPA 12 41 Local Time 09 41 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/323498