PARIS, July 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told French side that his country is ready to restore diplomatic ties with France, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier announced on Thursday.

    "Iraqi foreign minister has just answered my letter to say that he is ready to renew diplomatic ties," Barnier said. "We will now implement these intentions in the following days," he said.

    Barnier said on June 29, one day after the power transfer in Iraq, that France was ready to restore its diplomatic ties with Iraq.

    It is for the Iraqi authorities to take its first step to restore bilateral ties with France, for it was Baghdad who broke off the relations with France in 1991, according to a Frenchdiplomat. Enditem