THE HAGUE, 03/01/04 - Conservative (VVD) party leader Jozias van Aartsen has accused Labour (PvdA) of "a false type of tolerance" which has led to failures in the integration of immigrants. Van Aartsen made his comments in an interview with De Telegraaf newspaper.

"You could have seen what a disaster would occur because no boundaries were set on immigration in the past. This is a false type of tolerance that I encounter with the PvdA. And look where that policy has led: many deprived immigrants, terrorism, anti-Jewish behaviour in the capital and disasters in the integration of immigrants in big cities," according to Van Aartsen.

The VVD leader was prompted to make these remarks by a letter that the PvdA Mayor of Groningen Jacques Wallage recently sent him about the behaviour of VVD MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali. According to Wallage, her attacks on Islam have provoked violence.

Van Aartsen also had harsh words for PvdA leader Wouter Bos. "I miss leadership in Bos. Our proposal for tackling the Islamic schools because they do not encourage integration was initially able to count on support from the PvdA and then all of a sudden, no more."

Asked for his comments, Bos pointed out that the VVD has been in the government for longer in the past 25 years than the PvdA. He termed the plans that his party has with respect to integration "more ambitious" than those of the VVD.

Bos however also criticised his fellow-party member Wallage, who he considered should not have used the Groningen municipality's stationery to meddle in VVD affairs. As well, Bos termed the comparison drawn by Wallage with the Holocaust inappropriate.