AMMAN, Sept 4: Hopes for two French journalists held captive in Iraq slipped on Saturday when Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, who had been on a mission to the Middle East to secure their release, left for Paris with no news of their imminent liberation.

"I am going back to Paris now to give an account of the first part of my mission to the president of the republic and the prime minister," Mr Barnier said in the Jordanian capital. He had been in the region since Monday and had hoped to be able to accompany the two men home.

"I will continue to follow the situation personally, hour by hour, in liaison with our team in Amman. I am ready to come back to Amman at any moment," he said.

The minister's return suggests that the release of journalists Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, which has been optimistically predicted over the last two days, is once again on hold.

Mr Barnier would give no detail on the state of negotiations to secure the journalists' freedom.

"We will continue our efforts with determination and all the necessary precautions in order to secure their liberation as well as that of their driver, Mohamed el-Jundi," he said.

Barnier will meet President Jacques Chirac on Sunday morning, Chirac's office said.

On Aug 28 the Islamic Army in Iraq, which had kidnapped the journalists, threatened to kill them unless France rescinded a law banning the headscarf and other conspicuous religious signs from state schools.

But the group appeared to back down from its blackmail after the French government mobilized an unprecedented campaign of condemnation across the Middle East as well as from France's own large Muslim community. The law came into effect without disruption on Thursday.

On Thursday it was also reported that the men had been handed over to intermediaries. But though there have been repeated rumours of their imminent release, political leaders have warned of undue optimism given the complex and insecure environment in which they are being held.

Barnier, who has also been in Egypt and Qatar, said his mission had allowed him "to explain the reality in France, the protection and freedoms which everyone enjoys, whatever their beliefs or convictions".

"Ties have been formed with many political and religious personalities, which shows the solidarity of the Arab and Muslim worlds," he said.

The foreign minister had pointedly not travelled to Baghdad during his five days in the region - a move which was seen as a sign of tense relations between the French and Iraqi governments.

On Friday Paris called off a visit, scheduled for Sunday, by Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar citing the "current circumstances".

The French government was angered recently when a newspaper controlled by Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Paris was partly responsible for the kidnapping of the journalists because it had refused to back "all international resolutions aimed at restoring Iraqis' security". -AFP