Paris working to free hostage
2005-12-26 22:17
Paris - The French government said on Monday that it was doing "everything possible" to free a French hostage, Bernard Planche, who was kidnapped at gunpoint in Iraq three weeks ago.
"We are doing everything possible to obtain the release of Mr Bernard Planche," said a deputy spokesperson for the French foreign ministry, Denis Simonneau.
He added that the situation required the greatest discretion and declined to give any details about possible contacts with the kidnappers.
Planche, a 52-year-old engineer, was seized on December 5 by unknown captors at his home in an upmarket Baghdad neighbourhood.
He was in Iraq working for a little known non-governmental group called AACCESS, as a mechanical engineer specialising in water distribution systems.
Since August 2004 three other French citizens, all journalists, have been kidnapped in two separate attacks by armed groups in Iraq.
All three were released after months in captivity following high-profile campaigns for their freedom in France.