VATICAN CITY (AFP) -- The Vatican appealed for a climate of mutual respect Saturday in its first public comment on the uproar over the Prophet Mohammed satire, saying the right to freedom of expression did not imply the right to offend religious beliefs.

"Intolerance -- from wherever it comes, real or verbal, action or reaction -- always constitutes a serious threat to peace," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement.

Several dozen students hurled stones at the European Union headquarters in Gaza City early Saturday in the latest protests, after dozens of Muslims stormed an office building in Jakarta housing the Danish embassy the day before.

The 12 cartoons, first published last September by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, have caused an uproar in the Muslim world and reopened a debate over freedom of speech and religious tolerance.

"The right of freedom of thought and of expression, as contained in the Declaration of Human Rights, cannot imply the right to offend the religious feelings of believers," said Navarro-Valls, adding that the principle applied to every religion.

"Human cohabitation thus demands a climate of mutual respect, to encourage peace between men and nations," the statement said.

"Furthermore, some forms of extreme criticism or derision of others shows a lack of human sensibility and in some cases, can constitute an unacceptable provocation.

"History teaches us that this is not the way to heal old wounds in the lives of peoples."

"Violent protest action is however equally deplorable," it said.