The French President, Jacques Chirac, has promised his government will create opportunities for young people to prevent any resurgence of urban violence.
In a televised address last night, he condemned what he called the 'poison' of racism, and announced measures for the training of up to 50,000 youths in 2007.
He also said he would uphold law and order by bringing rioters to justice and cracking down on illegal immigration.
The French parliament, the National Assembly, will later today consider a bill that would extend a state of emergency, including the use of curfews, until February.
There has been unrest in poor suburbs in the Paris region and major provincial cities for over two weeks.
