French President Jacques Chirac has spoken to his nation on the violence racking the country.

He has been criticised for keeping a low profile during the unrest. This is his first direct address on the issue.Chirac has announced a voluntary task force that is to help 10s of thousands of young people to find work but also said the onus of keeping unruly youths in check was on parents. “When we belong to a national community,” he says, “we respect the rules.” “Children and adolescants need values and guidelines. Parental authority is paramount. Familys have to assume all their responsibilities – those who refuse must be sanctionned according to the law. Those who who are in difficulty on the otherhand need support. But what’s at play here is repsect for the law but also the success of integration policy,” he said.

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