THE Jamaican Government yesterday accepted an apology from Saturn, the German company that created and broadcast an advertisement showing the Jamaican flag being burnt and stomped on.

"I am pleased to announce that, following quiet diplomacy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany and Saturn, the company has decided 'out of respect for the feelings of the Jamaican people' to remove the ad from all its online channels and website and to forego airing the ad on German TV," Jamaica's Foreign Minister A J Nicholson said in a statement.

Nicholson said that Saturn offered the apology in a letter to Joy Wheeler, Jamaica's ambassador to Germany. In the letter, Saturn indicated that at no time did it intend to offend the national sentiment of the Jamaican people or diminish the significance of the Jamaican flag.

"We must nevertheless take note of the fact that the humorous approach we selected has led to some misunderstandings in Jamaica and among Jamaicans living in Germany. We sincerely regret this and would like to apologise if we have angered or offended anyone with our ad," the company said.

In a statement on February 23, Nicholson had said that, while he was convinced that the company's intentions were genuine, "it would be appropriate... for Saturn to seek to repair this most unfortunate breach which has caused discomfort".