PARIS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- French President Jacques Chirac rose up Wednesday in a television statement against "the dictatorship of rumor" which led to a judicial investigation into the "Clearstream" scandal.

    In the statement made after the weekly ministers' meeting, Chirac also reaffirmed his support for embattled Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, saying he had "total confidence" in his government.

    "The republic is not a dictatorship of rumors, a dictatorship of slander," said Chirac, stooping and looking tired.

    "Democracy is not the disrespect and exploitation to outrageous lengths of legal procedures under way," he said.

    "I have full confidence in Dominique de Villepin's government to carry out the mission I have set it, and I expect him to accelerate further his actions," he said.

    The so called "Clearstream affair" took its root in old claims that a number of French politicians, business leaders and intelligence figures had accounts at the Luxembourg-based Clearstream bank and took commissions from the sale of frigates to Taiwan.

    Two judges are conducting an investigation into the origin of the allegations, and in recent weeks have staged a series of high-profile searches, including raids at the headquarters of the foreign intelligence agency DGSE and the offices of Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie.

    Recent reports said that Villepin used the Clearstream investigation to smear his chief rival for the presidency, Interior Minister and French ruling UMP party's leader Nicolas Sarkozy. Villepin and Chirac have both denied the allegations. Enditem