France denies US report that it is brokering an exile deal for Saddam

Washington, Mar 22: French officials have denied that France might be helping to broker a deal which would see Iraqi President Saddam Hussein exiled in West African state of Mauritania.
French foreign ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau told
yesterday that he "was not aware" of French efforts to secure Saddam's exile.

His denial followed an ABC report that Pierre Duval, a
French foreign ministry official, had travelled repeatedly to
Baghdad since December in an attempt to convince Saddam to
accept exile in the Islamic republic and former French colony
of Mauritania.

The report quoted us officials as saying details of
the exile were being negotiated through lawyers in Jordan
representing Saddam's son Qusai.

Bureau Report