Fervent bid to free journos
2004-09-03 21:22
Paris - French foreign minister Michel Barnier was in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Friday still working to gain the release of two French journalists held in Iraq for two weeks, said a ministry spokesperson.
"He is making contacts and trying to co-ordinate the release of the hostages," said Cecile Pozzo di Borgo.
She did not elaborate on whom Barnier was meeting and what contacts he had made and refused to comment on rumours that the two journalists - Le Figaro correspondent Georges Malbrunot and Radio France Internationale correspondent Christian Chesnot - were no longer in the hands of the Islamic Army in Iraq.
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said earlier he was cautious, but confident, as to the fate of the two journalists.
They were kidnapped by Islamic militants demanding that France rescind its law banning the wearing of head scarves in public schools.
"We have received encouraging information, but there are stages we must go through," said Raffarin.