French FM resigns on scandalous Tunisia relations

PARIS. February 28. KAZINFORM French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie announced her resignation on Sunday, yielding to public indignation on her scandalous relation with the former Tunisian regime; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.

The beleaguered minister insisted that she did nothing wrong to France's interest and her public service, local press AFP quoted her statement as saying.

Returning from Kuwait for its 50th anniversary of independence, Alliot-Marie had a talk with Prime Minister Francois Fillon late Sunday, but did not reveal what they had discussed.

Local radio RFI confirmed her resignation later on, quoting a letter delivered to Fillon. Defense Minister Alain Juppe is due to take over as new foreign minister, the radio station added.

President Nicolas Sarkozy was scheduled to give a national address at 20:00 local time (GMT 1900), in which he was expected to talk about international affairs and lay out the new adjustment to his cabinet; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

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