Comments made by the Holland's immigration minister, Hilbrand Nawijn, have caused the country's Muslim community to speak out against plans to enforce Dutch as the language of The Netherlands' approximately 450 mosques.

Nawijn, a former colleague of the murdered anti-immigration politician Pim Fortuyn, remarked that Dutch should be spoken in religious services during the opening of a controversial new citizenship course for immigrant Muslim Imams.

Clerics should promote Dutch values, says Nawijn

Nawijn told the assembled journalists at last week's opening: "Muslim Imams have a duty to convince their fellow believers that they should be loyal to the values and norms of the Dutch constitutional state".

He added that the Imams played an important part in the negative perceptions of Islam in The Netherlands and that their image made it harder for Dutch society to accept Muslims.

As part of a vision for an improved integration process for immigrants, Nawijn said that he would be looking at how best to promote the speaking of Dutch in places of worship. He did not elaborate on whether ritual prayers as well as sermons should be in Dutch.

Nawijn also revealed his desire to implement a new law that would mean that any religious leader who failed the course would be denied a visa.

The new manadatory course includes lessons in Dutch society and language. Among the issues it will address are freedom of speech and religion, euthanasia and non-discrimination. At the end of the course, the Imams must give a presentation in Dutch to show what they have learned.

Holland not alone in controversy

The Netherlands is not alone when courting controversy concerning policy towards immigrants. In Britain, the Home Secretary David Blunkett, the man responsible for immigration, caused outrage when addressing a similar language based issue in his own country.

Blunkett has faced criticism over remarks made in an essay for a new book on British identity which stated that immigrants living in Britain ought to have a "modest grasp of English" and should speak English in their homes as part of the integration process.

Language storm still hangs over British Home Secretary

The Home Secretary implied that non-fluency in English added to the numerous difficulties experienced by immigrants while attempting to adapt to British society and as a result caused problems within the native speaking population.

In the essay, Blunkett also said that respect for cultural differences has limits, arguing that practices such as forced marriages and female circumcision were incompatible with fundamental human rights.

Elsewhere in Europe, the issue of integration has led to steps being taken to 'educate' immigrants in the native language, customs and culture of their adopted land.