France Friday welcomed as positive the move by Niger to release the two French journalists, who have been in detention in Niger for nearly one month, on charges of " violating the security of the state."

"The president welcomes this excellent news, he welcomes the decision of the Nigerian court to release the two on bail," French presidential office spokesman David Martinon said during his weekly press briefing.

"The president has been following this case very closely and he spoke over the telephone with his Nigerien counterpart Mamadou Tandja Thursday in an effort to move things forward," the spokesman said.

During their conversation, "President Tandja said his main concern was to see that Niger's institutions, including the justice system, were respected, and this has been the case," according to Martinon.

"We now hope that the two journalists will be able to return to France as soon as possible," said the spokesman.

An investigating judge earlier Friday in Niamey ordered the release on bail of Pierre Creisson and Thomas Dandois, who have been in police custody since Dec. 21 last year for having made a video report on the leaders of the Nigerien Movement for Justice ( MNJ), a simmering Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country, even though they had obtained a permit to make a report on avian flu.

The two journalists should "probably" get out of jail Friday afternoon and then return to France, William Bourdon, one of the lawyers representing the two, told reporters in the Nigerien capital of Niamey.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2008)