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| | LES ACTIVITES DE LA MISSION |
 | | Abel Abdel Mehdi, Finance Minister of Iraq’s Interim Government, who was in France on a private visit, was received yesterday, Tuesday, by Nicolas Sarkozy, Minister of State, Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry, and then by the secretary-general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
 | | Coming just days before Iraq’s sovereignty is restored on June 30, 2004, and the government takes office, these informal discussions were an opportunity to discuss the situation and the political perspectives in Iraq, and in particular to prepare for the important event of general elections due to be held at the beginning of next year. |
 | | France is determined to assist the Iraqis and is ready to take its full part in Iraq’s political and economic reconstruction in a bilateral capacity and in the context of the EU, in accordance with the conclusions of the European Council on June 17 and 18, 2004. |
| www.un.int /france/documents_anglais/040623_mae_presse_irak.htm (332 words) |
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