France and Iraq resumed diplomatic relations on Monday after a 13-year suspension due to the start ofthe Gulf War in 1991, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The government of the French Republic and the government of Iraq... have taken the decision to re-establish diplomatic relations from July 12," the Foreign Ministry said.

The two governments plan to exchange ambassadors as soon as possible, it added.

"The two governments are convinced that this decision will contribute to a strengthening of links between France and Iraq andto an intensification of their exchanges," it said.

France has said it is willing to help train Iraqi security forces and partially write off Iraq's debts to help the country recover from war, though it opposed the US-led war to oust Saddam Hussein last year.