MOSCOW, February 7 (RIA Novosti) - Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that he hoped Muslim leaders would be able to resolve a scandal over the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in European media, which has sparked a wave of violent protests across the Arab world.

In an interview with Spanish media, the Russian leader said: "We very much hope that Muslim religious figures and leaders of the Muslim world will be able to take the situation under control."

Putin said that any provocations in this sensitive area were unacceptable.

"We condemn any such actions, whichever side they may come from. We also condemn such [provocative] cartoons, which add to the division between religions, insult the feelings of believers and provoke them."

The Russian leader said the publication of offensive images could not be justified by invoking slogans of press freedom and that the states where the Mohammed cartoons had been printed or reprinted should at least apologize for failing to prevent it.