France loans Bangui US $1.3 million

France will loan the Central African Republic (CAR) US $1.3 million, French President Jacques Chirac's special adviser on African affairs, Michel de Bonnecorse, announced on Sunday. State-owned Radio Centrafrique reported that De Bonnecorse made the announcement at the end of a two-day visit to Bangui, the CAR capital, where he held talks with senior government officials including CAR leader Francois Bozize. The radio quoted De Bonnecorse as saying that the loan was part of France's efforts to see the CAR through its transitional period, scheduled to end in early 2005 with the holding of democratic elections. "Of course, one million three hundred dollars is not a big amount, I'm sure the Finance Minister had hoped for a greater amount, but it is a heartfelt gift," De Bonnecorse was quoted as saying. "It is ready money immediately distributed in the economic circuit." The French loan follows a $2-million interest-free loan granted to the CAR by China on 11 March. It also came just as the CAR completed paying November 2003 salaries for civil servants. The government has promised to begin paying December salaries from Monday.