France hopes for hostage release
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The French government says it is cautiously confident two journalists kidnapped in Iraq will soon be released.
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French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier  flew back to Paris from Jordan on Saturday to brief President  Jacques Chirac on efforts to save two French hostages in Iraq  amid hopes they will soon be freed.
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The French foreign minister was expected Sunday to begin negotiations for the release of two journalists taken hostage in Iraq. President Jacques Chirac confirmed Sunday he
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French President Jacques Chirac said there was &quot;no reason&quot; to give up hope that two French journalists held hostage in Iraq since August will be released.
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Hopes for a speedy release of two French hostages in Iraq gave way to expressions of doubt and concern Tuesday after a statement setting out new demands for their release was posted on a Web site.
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French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said he was still hopeful two French reporters held hostage in Iraq would be freed, adding that &quot;lines of dialogue&quot; had been opened with those detaining them.
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PARIS : The captors of two French journalists allegedly put forward new demands for their release, but French officials cast doubt on the authenticity of the demands and remained cautiously optimistic about securing their release.
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Officials in Paris reiterated its cautious optimism that two French reporters and their Syrian driver held hostage in Iraq may be freed, as trucks bearing their pictures criss-crossed the city.
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The French Foreign Ministry has confirmed that two French journalists held hostage by an Iraqi insurgency group since August have been released.
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France said on Sunday it still hopes two  French hostages in Iraq will be freed, although its foreign  minister returned from a Middle East mission empty-handed  without securing their release.
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John Paul II appeals for the release of two French journalists being held hostage in Iraq.
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Hopes of a swift end to the French  hostage crisis rose early Friday, after the Le Figaro newspaper  that employs one of the two captives said the men were now  being held by Iraqi guerrillas willing to negotiate their  release.
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The release of French aid workers jailed for kidnapping appears imminent after Chad says it will pardon them.
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France said on Monday there were  indications that two French hostages held in Iraq will be freed  and a Muslim negotiator said talks over their release were in  the "delivery phase."
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A French national who claims he has secured a deal for the release of two French reporters kidnapped in Iraq last month said Wednesday he is waiting for a US authorisation to extract the pair by air.
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PARIS, France -- The French government says it still hopes two journalists held hostage in Iraq will be freed but that it does not want to put at risk their release by talking about the issue too much.
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A French negotiator said on Tuesday he met two French journalists being held hostage in Iraq and that an agreement had been reached to free them soon.