UN Demands European Tolerance towards Immigrants

Strasbourg, France, Oct 20. – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon demanded from Europe some tolerance towards immigrants and warned of the danger posed by a new policy of polarization.

In a speech before the European Parliament, Ban said that some people are playing with the peopleâ�Ös fear and accusing foreigners of violating European values.

It is the accusers who often attack those values, and with it, the very idea of what it means to be a citizen of the Union, he added.

The darkest chapters in history were written in that language, said Ban, who added that the main target is the Muslim population.

The world cannot allow Europe to act that way, he said.

The UN chief lamented that the situation has not improved since 2003, when his predecessor Kofi Annan urged UN members to take advantage of the immigration boom rather than demonize it.

"I would like to say that the situation has changed, but Iâ�Öm deeply concerned," said Ban.

Also today before the European Council, the UN Secretary General deplored that immigration and economic slowdown are triggering an ever increasing anxiety and serving as a pretext to implement policies of exclusion and discrimination.(Prensa Latina)