PARIS, 4 February 2004 — French President Jacques Chirac has sent a message of condolence to King Fahd. “France has learned with great sadness of the tragic events which resulted in the deaths of a number of pilgrims as they performed the annual pilgrimage to Makkah.”

According to Foreign Ministry spokesman, Herve Ladsous, at the daily press briefing, “Under these tragic circumstances, we express our sympathy to the Kingdom’s authorities and present our sincere condolences to the families of the victims.”