France says it won’t back down on headscarf law

FRANCE vowed yesterday to press ahead with a controversial law banning Islamic headscarves in schools, despite demands by militants holding two French journalists hostage in Iraq that Paris revoke the legislation.

Government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope said France would not compromise its values to win the release of the journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot. Militants claiming to hold them demanded the law be overturned within 48 hours a deadline set to expire late last night.

"The law will be applied," Mr Cope said, rejecting the militants' warning.

The headscarf law, which takes effect today, forbids public school students from wearing "conspicuous" religious apparel. Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses will also be banned, although many believe the true target of the law is head scarves seen by authorities as a sign of rising Muslim fundamentalism in France.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier yesterday arrived in Cairo on a mission to help win the journalists' release.

President Jacques Chirac appealed on Sunday to the kidnappers, implicitly reminding them France opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq.

"France ensures equality, the respect and protection of the free practising of all religions," Mr Chirac said in a televised address. "These values of respect and tolerance inspire our actions everywhere in the world ... They also inspired France's policy in Iraq."