's prime ministerasked a government body Friday to study the legal possibilities that wouldallow banning face-covering veils in .
Francois Fillon's letter to the Council of State came the same week that aparliamentary committee recommended forbidding burqa-like garments in publicservices, but stopped short of recommending a ban of such dress on the street.
The prime minister's letter requests the council, which rules on the validityof French laws, to help the government determine how to put in place laws thatwould make the wearing of all-encompassing veils illegal.