According to Iraqi oil ministry spokesperson Assem Jihad, Iraqi oil minister Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum called for "cooperation between the Oil Ministry and French companies" to be enhanced.

According to Jihad, Ibrahim was quoted to have said, "French companies have considerable experience in Iraq, and France has a major role to play in the region." Bernard Bajolet, the French ambassador, is said to have replied, "French companies, such as Total SA, hope to take part in the development of Iraq's oil industry."

Total had been in line to sign a contract with the Saddam Hussein government to develop the Majnoon and Bin Oman fields in the south of the country before the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Cooperation between Iraqi and French companies - if realised - could not have been possible only a few months ago when the US Defence Department issued its infamous memo stating reconstruction contracts in a post-Saddam Iraq would be limited to only the US and its 63 allies.

However, unidentified US officials have confirmed, "Washington is leaning toward reversing policy and allowing French firms to bid for prime contracts on some of US$18.6 billion in reconstruction projects for Iraq."

Such deals, though, can only go through when UN sanctions against Iraq are lifted.