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PARIS: The French government yesterday declared a state of emergency in riot-hit parts of the country in order to combat the worst outbreak of urban unrest since the May 1968 student revolt.

Meeting in crisis session under the chairmanship of President Jacques Chirac, the cabinet invoked a 50 year-old law originally drawn up at the start of the Algerian war which permits the declaration of curfews, house-searches and a ban on public meetings.

The measure will come into effect at midnight (7am in Malaysia today) after the government has issued a decree setting out the geographical limits for the state of emergency.

Chirac said he had decided to "give the forces of law and order supplementary means in order to assure the protection of our fellow citizens and their property".

It was the toughest response to date to nearly two weeks of rioting in the high-immigration suburbs which has left more than 6,000 cars burned, public and private property destroyed, tens of policemen injured and one civilian death.

More than 1,500 people ­ mainly Arab and black youngsters ­ have been detained.

The crisis has thrown into stark relief the failure of France's policies ­ based on the theory of republican equality ­ for integrating millions of immigrants and their children from its for mer African colonies.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin also announced a series of new measures designed to facilitate access to the jobs market and stamp out racial discrimination.

Among the steps are the creation of an anti-discrimination agency, the allocation of 20,000 state-paid jobs for inhabitants of poor suburbs and the creation of 15 new special economic zones with tax-breaks for employers.

Monday night showed no let-up to the unrest, with 1,200 cars torched and 300 arrests, but the focus switched away from the capital to regional towns and cities, notably Toulouse in the southwest where a youth had his hand blown off when he picked up a tear-gas grenade.

In eastern France, schools, a library, a church and several vehicles were incinerated.

However, the chief of the national police service Michel Gaudin said there were signs the violence was fading.

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