PARIS, Dec 21: Two French journalists who had been held hostage in Iraq since August were freed Tuesday and would return to Paris on Wednesday, a French foreign ministry spokesman said.

"They have been freed. They have been handed over to French authorities. They will return (to Paris) Wednesday," the spokesman, Herve Ladsous, said. French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin told France's Senate to loud applause followed by a standing ovation he could confirm "with joy" the release of the two, Christian Chesnot of Radio France International and Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper.

"Our joy will be complete when they are safely back on home soil," he said. In a brief statement, President Jacques Chirac's office said the two men would return to France 'as soon as possible'. -Agencies