PARIS, Feb. 3 (Xinhuanet )-- Alain Juppe, one of French President Jacques Chirac's closest allies and former prime minister, said Tuesday he will stay in politics after being convicted of illegal party financing.

    Currently head of Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and Mayor of Bordeaux, Juppe said he will maintain the two posts during the appeal against last week's court ruling of 18 months injail with suspension and 10-year ban from elected office.

    "I am appealing, and as the appeal places the sentence on hold,I will continue to exercise my responsibilities," he said at French television TF1.

    Juppe, 58, was convicted on Friday of illegally paying party workers with Paris municipal funds during the time when President Jacques Chirac was mayor of Paris.

    Juppe said he was surprised by the court ruling: "I am preparedto all hypothesis but this one."

    "For 20 years, all political parties have had difficulties to organize their financing. All. Many have been condemned, not all. Many organizations have resorted, correctly or wrongly, to false employment. All have not been condemned," he said.

    "It happens on me. Well. The law is applied on me as it is applied to whatever citizen. Let me simply say that I find it is too much," he said.

    "I have the convictions, the faithful and I have the responsibilities that I assume," he said.

    "There are so many people around me who said 'Stick to it; assume your responsibilities.' It was true in Bordeaux, it is truehere (Paris), it is true at the UMP. And when you have the feelingyou are doing the right thing it gives you strength," he said.

    Juppe has launched appeal against the ruling, which put the sentences on hold.

    On Monday, Chirac urged Juppe to stay in politics in the hope of an acquittal on appeal. Chirac also told journalists that Juppe was a "politician of exceptional quality, competence, humanity and honesty."

    "France needs men of his quality," said Chirac.

    The ruling against Juppe risked damaging his credibility and opened a period of instability within Chirac's party as it came weeks before the regional elections scheduled from March 21 to 28.

    Juppe was also considered a possible successor to Chirac in the presidential elections in three years. Enditem