LOS ANGELES. — Cruise and Katie Holmes have reached a “private” settlement less than two weeks after she announced their bombshell divorce — and vowed  to honour each other’s beliefs over their daughter.

The Hollywood pair issued a joint statement pledging to act in the “best interests” of six-year-old Suri, and to take account of their “respective beliefs” in her upbringing — an apparent reference to Scientology.
The announcement heads off what some had expected could be acrimonious haggling over the divorce, amid reports Holmes was concerned about the role of the

Church of Scientology in their daughter’s life.
“The case has been settled and the agreement has been signed. We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life,” her lawyer Jonathan Wolfe said.

No details of the settlement terms were given, but Holmes and Cruise’s joint statement said: “We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri’s best interests.
“We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other’s roles as parents,” they added.

Asked about the terms of the settlement, Cruise’s publicist Amanda Lundberg reiterated: “They are private.”
Holmes announced on June 29 that she was filing for divorce to end the star couple’s five-year-old marriage, apparently taking Cruise by surprise — he said he was “deeply saddened” by the announcement.

Speculation over the cause of the split has focused on Holmes’ reported concern that Cruise wanted their daughter to be immersed more deeply in the Church of Scientology, of which he is a prominent member.

Holmes was raised as a Catholic, but joined Cruise’s Scientology religion after their whirlwind romance and wedding in a storybook Italian castle in November 2006.
Lawyers for both Cruise — who celebrated his 50th birthday last Tuesday — and 33-year-old Holmes were thought to have been negotiating through the weekend to reach the deal. Financial details of the settlement will likely remain secret. — AFP.