France condemns Madrid attack,reinforces Spanish border guards

BAYONNE, France, March 11 (AFP) – France joined international condemnation of the Madrid bomb attacks which killed more than 170 people Thursday morning and reinforced its police presence on its border with Spain.

“France condemns with the greatest firmness the cowardly attacks. Terrorism in all its forms and from whatever source must be fought unflinchingly,” foreign ministry spokesman Herve Ladsous said.

“Paris sends the Spanish authorities its complete solidarity in this terrible trial and expresses its sincere condolences to families and friends of the victims,” he said.

Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin has sent a personal message of sorrow to his counterpart Ana Palacio, the spokesman said.

Precise details of the scale of the French police deployment on the border were not released.

Close cooperation between French and Spanish police has led to dozens of arrests of suspected members of the Basque separatist group ETA in southern France in recent years.

Subject: France news