Reader TTS

CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS, JEWS AND BUDDHISTS SIGN OPEN LETTER CRITICISING PARTY'S DEBATE ON SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE CHRISTIANS, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists have united in opposition

to the UMP's debate on the separation of Church and State. A declaration written by the _Conférence des responsables de culte en France_ said that, while debate was usually a healthy

sign, it questioned the wisdom of the governing UMP discussing it solely among their ranks. Behind the declaration are France's chief rabbi Gilles Bernheim, the heads of the Roman

Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox churches of France, the president of the Conseil Français du Culte Musulman, Mohammed Moussaoui, and the head of the Buddhists' union of France,

Olivier Wang-Genh. The _Conférence des responsables de culte en France_ , which was established last November, asked the UMP not to add confusion during a difficult period, saying this was

likely to lead to more stigmatisation. The letter draws attention to two major reports and a series of recommendation on different aspects of the relationship between the public, religion

and the government, which already carry out work on the subject. It praises the principle of the separation of Church and State. "Laïcité is one of the pillars of our Republican

contract, one of the supports of our democracy and a foundation for our wish to live together," it said. The UMP itself is split over the debate, which will also look at the role of

Islam in France and is due to take place at a party conference on April 5. Following its poor performance in local elections, party members are divided on both their tactics to deal with the

growing support for the Front National and the usefulness of the debate. Photo: Laurent saccomano - Fotolia.com