France has said that it will be granting asylum to 500 Iraqi Christians--an announcement that has created controversy within Iraq.

The announcement on Saturday promplted many Iraqis to warn that it amounted to discrimination against Muslims.

"The situation is very difficult for the Muslims, too, but the Christians have a particularly difficult time," said Troyes Bishop Marc Stenger in defense of the move, DPA reported.

Stenger, made the remarks after visiting Christian communities in northern Iraq last month. His remarks have been published in Sunday's edition of Le Monde.

He said that half of the 700,000-strong community there was already fleeing, and the situation had only worsened since the abduction and murder of Iraqi Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho.

Elsewhre, several aid agencies had earlier criticized the government decision to grant the 500 asylum in the coming weeks.

Pierre Henry, head of the France Terre d'Asile organization said, "It is risky showing preference to refugees on the strength of their religion."

SM/HAR