Mexico City has become the latest "city of refuge" in a scheme to provide shelter for persecuted writers.

Mexico City mayor Cuauhtemoc Cardenas and writer Salman Rushdie opened a house in the centre of the city designed to provide lodging for up to three writers who have been forced to leave theirown countries because of religious or politicial persecution.

The scheme was set up in 1995 by the International Parliament of writers, of which Mr. Rushdie is president.