French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie yesterday accused the US media of poisoning French-US ties with a disinformation campaign because of France's opposition to the Iraq war.

Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur, she said certain US media had "sowed disinformation which could poison relations between the peoples of the two countries."

"There are many lies and defamatory statements against France by some newspapers, and the editors of those papers bear a heavy responsibility," said Alliot-Marie after talks with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The pressing issue

She reiterated France's stand against the US-British military campaign to topple Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, but said the most pressing issue now was to ensure a better quality of life for the people of Iraq and to allow them to choose their own government.

Alliot-Marie arrived in Malaysia yesterday o­n the first leg of a tour that will also take her to Singapore and the Gulf state of Bahrain.

Mahathir, who is the acting chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement representing the developing world, is due to leave for France today to join a meeting of leaders of the Group of Eight industrialised nations

The French government has repeatedly complained about some US newspapers, most notably a report in the Washington Times alleging Iraqi officials managed to flee the country with French passports. AFP