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נשיא צרפת, ז'ק שיראק חזר לעבודתו (יום ב', 12.9.05), לאחר שאושפז במשך שבוע בבית החולים.

אמר הואנג
meeting India's prime minister, who confirmed the purchase of six French submarines and 43 Airbus planes.

Chirac appeared in good form and went out of his way to show it, according Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the honor of greeting him on the front steps of the French presidential Elysee Palace.

Once inside, Chirac also took the rare step of speaking to reporters allowed in for the start of the talks.

"I am delighted that the prime minister confirms to us today the decision by India concerning the purchases of six Scorpene submarines and 43 Airbus," Chirac said.

He called the Indian orders, which had previously been announced by Indian officials, a sign "of trust, friendship and cooperation."

The meeting was the first official engagement for 72-year-old Chirac since his release Friday from hospital following a weeklong stay for what doctors said was a blood vessel problem that affected his eyesight.

Singh praised Chirac, saying he holds him "in the highest esteem as a world statesman."

He said he wants to strengthen Indian economic cooperation with France and "convince the French business community that India is going to be a competitive destination for foreign investment."

Singh was in Paris en route to New York for a U.N. summit of world leaders where he plans to push for a permanent seat on the Security Council and discuss civilian nuclear energy cooperation.

Chirac has long supported giving civilian nuclear technologies to India and New Delhi's claim to a permanent U.N. Security Council seat.

"We have to work jointly to ensure that the global political order, the economic order is managed in a just and equitable manner for the benefit of all countries of the world," Singh said at the meeting with Chirac.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said he had worked through the weekend with Chirac to prepare for the New York summit. Villepin will attend the summit in Chirac's place after doctors advised the French leader to limit his activities for this week and avoid air travel for six weeks.

"The president is applying himself to his job," Villepin told RMC-Info radio.

The government has yet to detail the nature of Chirac's illness.

Chirac was hospitalized Sept. 2 after suffering a "small vascular accident" that impaired vision in one eye, doctors said without ever fully elaborating.