Chirac voices support for Iraq's national reconciliation efforts

French President Jacques Chirac expressed to his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani France's support for Iraq's national reconciliation and reconstruction, the French Presidential office announced on Thursday after the one-hour talk between the two presidents.

Chirac confirmed that "in this difficult period for Iraq, France gives its support for the politics of national reconciliation and the inclusive dialogue, which are in favor of Iraq's unity and reconstruction," Presidential office spokesman Jerome Bonnafont said.

Chirac also expressed French people's friendliness for Iraq and the Iraqi people, as well as their willingness to deepen bilateral relationships, Jerome said.

During a brief press release, Iraqi President Talabani said that he had "called on President Chirac to continue to support the Iraqi People."

"We both expressed our wishes to improve and deepen the relationships between Iraq and France," said Talabani.

"We have shown President Chirac a real image of the current situation in Iraq. It's not an image of all roses, and it's also not more gloomy than what depicted by the media," Talabani said, noting that they have told Chirac about the problems which Iraqi people are suffering.

Accompanied by four ministers, Talabani arrived in Paris Wednesday afternoon for a three-day official visit. It is the second visit of an Iraqi president to France since 2003.

Source: Xinhua