French government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope said Sunday that France believes that a favorable ending of the hostage crisis is possible and the French government will keep on working with confidence but also with much prudence.

"In view of all information we hold and at this moment when we speak, we want to believe a favorable ending is possible. That's why the government continues to work with confidence but also with much prudence to gain the release of our two compatriots," he said after the meeting presided by French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and attended by Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, Education Minister Francois Fillon, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin, Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and Culture and Communication Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres.

"We are keeping on mobilizing a operational, political and diplomatic system. All the teams are at their posts and we remain in permanent contact with them," Cope added.

The French foreign minister returned to Paris on Saturday from his one-week tour in the Middle East to seek the release of the two French hostages.

He met with French President Jacques Chirac earlier in the morning to report on his mission, saying that France has serious reason to believe that both journalists are in good health and a favorable ending is possible.

Georges Malbrunot of the French daily Le Figaro, and Christian Chesnot, from Radio France, were last heard from on Aug. 19 before they set off for the southern Iraqi city of Najaf.

Militants who claimed to hold the men demanded that France revoke a law banning pupils from wearing Islamic head scarves in state schools. The government rejected the demand and implemented the law as planned when the school year started Thursday.

Source: Xinhua