German Officials, Muslim Leaders, Confer On Divisive Issues

Today's New York Times reports that in Berlin yesterday 15 government officials held a conference with 15 German Muslim leaders to discuss issues that divide Muslims from non-Muslims. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, organized and chaired the conference. The issue on which all participants agreed was that the Detusche Oper of Berlin should reverse its decision to cancel the Mozart opera Idomeneo in which a scene includes the severed head of the Prophet Muhammad. Opera officials feared a violent reaction from Muslims. (See prior posting.) Other issues discussed at the conference included teaching of the Islamic religion in public schools, training of imams in Germany, construction of mosques, and discrimination against Muslims in Germany.