French PM “open” to temporary ban on foreign financing of mosquesJuly 29, 2016 - 13:06 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - France's prime minister said Friday, July 29 he was "open" to a temporary ban on foreign financing for mosque building, after a spate of attacks in the country claimed by jihadists, AFP reports. Manuel Valls also admitted in an interview with the Le Monde daily it was a "failure" that one of the jihadists who attacked a church and killed a priest earlier this week had been released with an electronic tag pending trial. Valls and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve have come under fire for perceived security failings that have failed to prevent three major terror attacks in France in 18 months. The fact that one of the church attackers, 19-year-old Adel Kermiche, was awaiting trial on terror charges and had been fitted with an electronic tag meant judges needed to take a "different, case-by-case, approach," Valls said. However, the prime minister stressed that the judges in this individual case should not be held responsible for this "act of terrorism." And as the jihadist killing of a priest at the altar of his church sparked fears of religious tensions in secular France, Valls said the country needed to forge "a new relationship" with Islam. "We need to reset and invent a new relationship with Islam in France," Valls said, according to AFP. He added he was "open to the idea that -- for a period yet to be determined -- there should be no financing from abroad for the construction of mosques." Valls also called for imams to be "trained in France, not elsewhere." Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. CSTO: Armenia has not participated in secretariat’s work recently Recently Armenia has not participated in the work of the secretariat of the CSTO, Imangali Tasmagambetov said. Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. Ucom launches network modernization efforts in few regions of Armenia In particular, on March 28, the legacy Mobile Switching Subsystem will be replaced with a new one. |