PARIS, June 7: France has brought to Moscow its campaign to intermediate in the India-Pakistan conflict, with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin revealing that he has been attempting to come up with a joint Franco-Russian position with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

The conversation with Mr Ivanov came just as the French were awaiting the arrival of Jahangir Karamat, an emissary sent by Gen Musharraf to Paris, as well as Rome and Madrid, with a request that Europe play a greater role in mediating between India and Pakistan.

According to Quai d’Orsay spokesman Francois Rivasseau, Mr de Villepin last spoke with Mr Ivanov yesterday morning, had a “profound exchange” with the Russian foreign minister with regard to the “tension” between India and Pakistan, this on the day following the Almaty summit.

Mr de Villepin noted that he’d “emphasized” that “we welcome the Russian efforts to push both parties towards restraint and towards the search for a pacific solution.”

Both men, according to Mr Rivasseau, “agreed to remain in contact” over the India-Pakistan conflict, have set up a calendar of bilateral meetings between France and Russia, and noted they would meet again especially during the G-8 summit at Whistler in Canada.

With regard to persistent rumours according to which France is preparing to send a special emissary to New Delhi and Islamabad to attempt to mediate in the conflict — which so far has been limited to telephone diplomacy — Mr Rivasseau noted that “at this stage, I’m not informed (as to whether an emissary is to be sent to the region).”

“But let me remind you,” the spokesman added, “that Mr de Villepin is very mobilised with regard to this question. He was in touch late last week with the Indian foreign minister and a few days before with Mr Sattar in Islamabad.”

Also, he noted, “he is also in constant touch with his other partners with regard to the friction between New Delhi and Islamabad. We will provide you with more information at the appropriate moment. In any case, please be assured that the conflict between India and Pakistan is a subject on which France is fully mobilised.”