The French government Wednesday heaped praises on Yves Chauvin, a researcher at the French Oil Institute, for winning the 2005 Nobel Prize for Chemistry along with his American colleagues for work in carbon research.

French President Jacques Chirac wrote a letter to the scientist, saying that the award has honored France and the whole French scientific community.

Chirac said Chauvin's "fundamental work has had manifold applications, in the field of medicine, plastic materials and biocarburants."

"It comes to encourage the ambition of our country in the field of basic science: an ambition which is at the heart of the action by the government for the intellectual influence of France and the preparation of the future," he said.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin also lauded in a statement the scientist' career entirely devoted in the research work, saying the prize came "at a moment when the government launches an important strategic action plan in favor of research and innovation in order to reinforce competitiveness of our laboratories and attraction of scientific career for the youth".

Chauvin's discovery "demonstrates the vitality of our research and its impact on progress in world science, in the field of organic chemistry, which has opened the way to creating new molecules," said earlier in the day French Minister of Research Francois Goulard, adding his work "is an exemplary illustration of the contribution of research to the development and welfare of our society and future generations."

The breakthrough in metathesis "contributes to the development of non-polluting chemistry -- 'green chemistry'," said Goulard.

Source: Xinhua