Fed: French promise consultation over graves: Anderson
Deputy Prime Minister JOHN ANDERSON says the French government will consult Australiaon any decision to shift war graves on the Sommme battlefield to make room for a new airport.
Mr ANDERSON met with the French Veterans Affairs Minister in Paris overnight to pressthe French government not to shift the graves of Australian World War One soldiers tomake way for the planned airport near Paris.
But he's been given no commitment the graves will be left undisturbed.
French Minister JACQUES FLOCH says France will try to disturb as few graves as possible.
But Mr FLOCH says it needs to be understood France is much smaller than Australia andhas less area on which to build airports.
A final decision on the airport's location is not expected for up to two years, withthe airport scheduled for completion between 2015 and 2020.
One area under consideration at Chaulnes in the Somme contains the graves of 61 Australianservicemen AAP RTV/AP rft/daw/tb/rp
KEYWORD: FRANCE GRAVES (CANBERRA)
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