MORE FRENCH CORRUPTION:

The current trial follows the sleaze allegations which surfaced over an arms for kickbacks scandal, which centred on the now notorious liaison between former foreign minister Roland Dumas and a woman who dubbed herself “The Whore of the Republic”.

The trial is being keenly watched in France, where it has stirred up charges of endemic corruption during the last years of late president Francois Mitterrand’s rule.

Elf was controlled by the state at the time of the scandal.

It is now part of French oil firm TotalFinaElf which is negotiating multi-billion dollar deals with Iraq.

Negotiate all you want, guys, but I don’t think those deals will be worth much.