CORDOBA, Spain: A two-day international conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), on the topic of intolerance toward Muslims was held in Spain.

Delegations from the 56 nations that make up the OSCE took part in the conference in the southern Spanish city of Cordoba.

Spain currently holds the rotating presidency of the OSCE, which promotes human rights, democracy and conflict prevention in Europe, North America and Central Asia.

Arab League Secretary-General Amr Mussa told the gathering that after the end of the Cold War, conservative extremists in certain Western circles needed to find a new enemy.

"We can't live in stability and security if some are perceived as first class citizens and others second class citizens. This has to disappear," he added.

Studies by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia have found anti-Muslim behaviour and attitudes have risen since 2001, said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

"Without a doubt, international terrorism has fueled this phenomena," added Moratinos who is chairing the gathering.

Muslims in Europe face discrimination when it comes to employment, education and housing, said Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos, the head of research and data collection at the Vienna-based European Fundamental Rights Agency.

"In the area of employment there is evidence that Muslims generally have a higher unemployment rate," he said.

For example in Ireland according to the 2002 census 11 percent of Muslims were unemployed compared to a national average of 4.0 percent, he said.

In Britain the unemployment rate for Muslims, for both men and women, is also higher than that for the general population, especially among those between the ages of 16 and 24, he added.

"In the area of education there is evidence that Muslim pupils tend to have a lower level of education achievement," Dimitrakopoulos added.