MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. Some EU states' prohibition on religious symbols is generating intolerance and xenophobic attitudes throughout society, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday in a speech at the opening session of the 26th International Educational Christmas Readings conference.

The motto of this year's conference is 'Spiritual Values and the Future of Humankind'.

"A number of EU countries are prohibiting the use of religious symbols and artefacts, and depriving parents of an opportunity to bring up their children on the bedrock of Christian moral principles," he explained. "This creates a breeding ground for xenophobia and intolerance and opens up the door to society's self-destruction."

Lavrov recalled that the EU had refused to include the thesis on the Christian roots of European civilization in its founding documents.

"I think those who feel ashamed of their ethical roots can't have any genuine respect for the adherents of other faiths or generate mutual respect for them," he said. "It's important to stand up to the pseudo-liberal approaches, which stimulate destructive models of behavior," he stressed.