The French government remains hopeful today that two journalists held hostage in Iraq will be freed.
France's Foreign Minister Michel Barnier returned late yesterday from a round of meetings in the Middle East without confirmation that the two men would be released. But he was assured by mediators that both men were being treated well by their captors.
"We have serious reasons to believe both of them are in good health and that a favourable outcome is possible," Mr Barnier told reporters today after briefing President Jacques Chirac.
"Our top priority today remains to secure their release. Our priority is their safety," he said. "We are working hard, calmly, cautiously and discreetly."
Mr Barnier is due to meet Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and senior cabinet members later today and officials remain cautiously optimistic despite an expectation the journalists would be released on Friday proving unfounded.
A French Muslim delegation which went to Iraq assist negotiations said the main obstacle seemed to be difficulties in arranging a safe handover.
Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot have been held by militants in Iraq since August 20th.
There has been no word from the men's captors, the Islamic Army in Iraq, since a statement attributed to them on Friday rejected claims that they had handed the men over to another, more moderate group of Iraqi militants.
The kidnapping of the two well-known journalists shocked France, particularly because it opposed the US-led attack on Iraq.
But the Islamic Army in Iraq are not linking the capture of the two men to the attack and are instead demanding that France reverse its decision to ban religious symbols and attire - including Muslim headsacrves.