STATEMENT BY THE SPOKESPERSON

FRENCH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

March 10, 2003

You asked me at Friday's press briefing about an article in a Washington newspaper implicating French businesses in the exportation of military spare parts to Iraq.

As I received that article late due to the time difference, I wasn't able to give you a satisfactory response.

Since then, the two French businesses implicated have formally and publicly denied those allegations. With regard to the French authorities, they

- never authorized the export or re-export of such equipment

- strictly abide by the ban on exporting military equipment to Iraq

- scrupulously comply with the corresponding Security Council resolutions.