French premier skeptical of ransom demand
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Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot disappeared Aug. 20 on a trip to the southern Iraqi city of Najaf.
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The French government remains hopeful about the fate of two its nationals held hostage in Iraq but does not want to jeopardise their release by talking about it too much, an official said today.
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Paris did not pay a ransom to secure the  release of two French journalists freed by Islamic militants in  Iraq, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin told party  leaders Wednesday.
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The French Government has held crisis talks on the fate of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq amid growing uncertainty over whether their kidnappers have demanded a ransom.
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Paris did not pay a ransom to secure the release of two French journalists freed by Islamic militants in Iraq, French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin told party leaders Wednesday.
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French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin called a ministerial crisis meeting on two French journalists held hostage in Iraq on Monday as efforts to secure their release threatened to turn into a fiasco.
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PARIS Paris did not pay a ransom to secure the release of two French journalists freed by Islamic militants in Iraq, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin of France told party leaders Wednesday.
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Former French president Jacques Chirac has refused to testify over a political dirty tricks scandal, but could face questioning over a party financing affair before he took office.
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French Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said he was unable to confirm the authenticity of a statement attributed to the Islamic army in Iraq saying it was releasing two French hostages on condition they cover the activities of the resistance.
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France's president is heading for a showdown with European finance ministers over its budget deficit.
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The French President has called for national unity for the sake of two French hostages in Iraq, as a row broke out over a failed attempt to free them.
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy has  called left-wing Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez to back his  offer to try to help secure the release of hostages held by  rebels in Colombia, including a French-Colombian politician.
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The &quot;chaotic&quot; offensive in Fallujah may endanger the release of the two French journalists being held hostage in Iraq, French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin claimed today.
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Damascus - A French lawmaker involved in negotiations to free two French journalists held hostage in Iraq said on Friday that a convoy bringing the two to Syria came under US fire, scuttling their release.
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The French government held crisis talks on the fate of two French journalists held hostage in Iraq Wednesday amid growing uncertainty over whether their kidnappers had demanded a ransom and two-day deadline.
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French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said that two French journalists kidnapped south of Baghdad nearly three months ago were thought to be in a fairly safe zone in Iraq ( news - web sites ), based on ...
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French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has called for &quot;clarification&quot; of the role of the European Central Bank, amid fierce debate in France on the high level of the euro.