I hope that the European heads of state and government will on October 29, when signing the European constitutional treaty in Rome, remember this statement from Jean Jacques Rousseau: "Europe even now is indebted more to Christianity than to any other influence for the union which survives among her members" (J.J. Rousseau, 1761, Oeuvres Complètes).

This is indeed an acknowledgement of the historical truth, coming as it does from one of the founding fathers of modern secularity. It is a pity that this kind of intellectual honesty is lost on today's proponents of laïcité and on militant dogmatic secularists.

As regards those politicians who profess to be Christian, such a historic moment must bring to their mind, with a certain amount of sadness, the difference there is in the historical circumstances between them and the founding fathers of the EU in the recognition and upholding of Christianity's role in Europe.

It is augured that when debating future major European issues (including other enlargements?) this aspect of European identity will not be so easily compromised or forgotten. It is also hoped that an inverted anti-Christian intolerance - be it towards values or persons - will not be a millstone around European politicians' necks, which shackles them from respecting the authentic meaning of secularity.

In the name of political correctness they can create a worse form of intolerance than the one which Europe has struggled so much to get rid of. If the rule of liberty, justice and fair play is a common European heritage, let it apply to all.