The official says that the decision to suspend the sale of arms was made at a Jan. 27 meeting.
According to the official, speaking Saturday, the meeting came two days after the French Customs service suspended authorization to export equipment to maintain public order, notably explosive products such as tear gas.
The official, not authorized to speak publicly, asked not to be named.
France was embarrassed by an offer to share its know-how in maintaining order with Tunisia despite an uprising that ultimately pushed President El-Abidine Ben Ali into exile.
France's Foreign Ministry says that three French journalists and a researcher who went missing in Cairo amid attacks on journalists during violent demonstrations have been located and are safe.
Michele Alliot-Marie had spoken by telephone with her Egyptian counterpart demanding the four be located.
Saturday's statement said all four «have been found safe and sound» but provided no details.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says it has documented at least 101 cases of direct attacks on journalists and news facilities over the past week.
The Paris-based World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers on Saturday called on Egyptian authorities to protect journalists covering protests in Egypt.
