THE HAGUE, 13/11/03 - Conservative (VVD) parliamentary leader Jozias Van Aartsen has called on his fellow-party member, Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk, not to put up any obstacles to Rotterdam city council's plan to bar any further asylum-seekers from the city. If necessary, she should change the law, he says.

Rotterdam does not want any more accepted refugees to locate within its boundaries. But Verdonk says all councils are statutorily obliged to take legal refugees. The big cities would be better to do more about expelling illegals, in her view.

Van Aartsen said on Radio 1 yesterday that Rotterdam is right in 'belling the cat'. If there are legal obstacles to a more balanced distribution of asylum-seekers throughout the country, then this is a reason to change the law, according to the VVD leader. But in the Lower House, only the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF) supports this view.

Christian democratic (CDA) MP Sterk does agree with Van Aartsen that something must be done about the one-sided ethnic composition in some neighborhoods, but considers big cities rejecting all asylum seekers goes too far. Sterk wants to debate further on the question when the Lower House shortly discusses a memorandum from Verdonk on minorities.

Labour (PvdA), the biggest opposition party, finds all municipalities should simply continue to take on their share of admitted asylum seekers. It is however willing to force asylum seekers to accept the homes they are offered in the smaller municipalities.

The Labour (PvdA) party on Rotterdam city council is taking a firmer position. It presented a report Tuesday stating there is no more room for asylum-seekers in the city. The opposition party was thereby anticipating plans to be unveiled within one month by the local coalition of Liveable Rotterdam (LR), CDA and VVD. CDA alderman Van der Tak confirmed yesterday that the PvdA plan is also in the coalition proposals.