ITALY TO APPEAL CROSS RULING

(ANSA) - Rome, November 3 - Italy said Tuesday it would appeal a landmark European ruling against crucifixes in classrooms.

A successful appeal would lead to Tuesday's ruling being reconsidered, state judge Nicola Lettieri said, but the verdict will become effective in three months if the appeal is turned down.

The Council of Europe will then have six months to decide what action the Italian government should take to avoid future suits, Lettieri said.

Earlier Tuesday, in its first such ruling, the European Court of Human Rights found that crucifixes in Italian classrooms were a violation of parents' rights to educate their kids according to their principles.

Upholding a suit from a Finnish immigrant to Italy, the Strasbourg-based court also said the crosses ran counter to a child's own rights to freedom of religious choice.

The Italian government was ordered to pay Lautsi, an Italian citizen, 5,000 euros in ''moral damages''.