The French government on Monday rebuffed the demand from Iraqi kidnappers who held two French journalists, saying that it would go ahead with a ban on Muslim headscarves and other religious attire in public schools.

The hostage takers in Iraq said late Saturday that it gave France 48 hours to revoke the ban, which was expected to take effect in September.

"The law will come into effect," government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope told Canal Plus television.

The hostage takers did not specify what would happen if France failed to meet the demand. The ban on religious apparel also includes Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses.

French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier arrived in Cairo early Monday to seek the release of journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot.

Source: Xinhua