DOHA, 2 September 2004 — Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad ibn Jassim Al-Thani called yesterday for the release of two French journalists in Iraq and for “respect” for France’s political system and its laws, after meeting his French counterpart Michel Barnier.
“We appeal for sparing the French journalists. We hope they will be freed promptly,” he told a joint news conference with Barnier, in Doha as part of a mission to obtain the release of the pair.
Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, who went missing on Aug. 20, are being held by a militant group calling itself the Islamic Army of Iraq, which is demanding that France rescind a law banning the Islamic head scarf in state schools.
“Whether we agree or not, we must respect the French decision on this issue,” Sheikh Hamad said of the French law, which also applies to other “conspicuous” religious insignia.
The ban is due to come into force today with the start of the new academic year.
The Qatari foreign minister said his country was “exerting efforts” to help free the hostages but was not actually engaged in a “mediation.” He did not elaborate.
Barnier, who had already been to Egypt and Jordan to seek their help to free the hostages, said Paris was “touched by expressions of solidarity” such as that of Qatar.
He reiterated what he said on earlier stops about Chesnot and Malbrunot, stressing that they “know this region well and have affection for the Arab world.”
“We are determined (to try to secure the hostages’ release) and we hope that the messages which came from all Arab and Muslim countries, as well as from France — a country of diversity but standing as one — will be heard,” Barnier told AFP before leaving for the Jordanian capital. “All possible dialogues have been initiated. All messages have been spelled out and, I hope, received,” he said.
France’s chief diplomat later visited the headquarters of the Al-Jazeera satellite channel, which has broadcast videotaped messages from the abducted journalists.
The Qatar-based station, which regularly airs videotapes of armed groups claiming the abduction or execution of hostages, appealed on Monday for the immediate release of the French newsmen. A second ultimatum set by the kidnappers expired late Tuesday with no fresh news of the fate of the two men, who warned that their lives were at risk if France did not scrap the head scarf law.
Kuwaiti’s Offer
A Kuwaiti journalist who says he is passionate about France offered yesterday to go to Iraq immediately to take the place of the two French hostages. “I am prepared to replace the two French journalists,” Saleh Bahman told AFP.
“The purpose of my offer is not for excitement, but to show to those criminal kidnappers that their action is not humanitarian,” added Bahman, who works for the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The 51-year-old Kuwaiti said he was prepared to sacrifice his life to secure the release of the pair, whose kidnapping has moved the world to appeal for their release.
He said his wife has agreed to his offer.
Bahman spent nine years in France, initially as a linguistics student at Vesancon University from 1973 to 1978 on a French government scholarship. Between 1980 and 1984 he worked as KUNA’s correspondent in France.
Bahman, who has five children, speaks fluent French.
“The two journalists were in Iraq to clarify the truth. They were not on a military mission,” he said.
