LOC16:54
13:54 GMT
LONDON, Jan 8 (KUNA) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Tuesday
rejected claims by a senior member of the Anglican Church that Muslim
extremists were creating 'no-go areas'' for non-Muslims in Britain.
At his first Downing Street news conference of the year, the Prime Minister
said that he regarded Britain's Christian heritage as an "absolutely critical
and essential part'' of the fabric of the country's national life.
His comments follow a warning last weekend by the Bishop of Rochester
Michael Nazir-Ali, that non-Muslims faced a hostile reception in areas
dominated by Islamic radicals.
However, Brown told reporters "I know that there are pressures in many
areas of the country but I don't accept that there are or should be no-go
areas in any part of the country".
He said that the British Government would be bringing forward measures to
promote inter-faith dialogue within communities around the country.
"So far from people being isolated from each other and never talking to each
other, and far from there being no go-areas in the country, I want the coming
together of all religions, where there are different religions in the
community, to actually happen", the Prime Minister added. (end)
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