LYON, France, Dec 21 (AFP) - Her voice choked with emotion, the mother of Georges Malbrunot, one of two French reporters released after four months as hostages in Iraq, said Tuesday that it was "the most beautiful Christmas present."
Andree Malbrunot, speaking to AFP by telephone, said she had hardly dared believe the news at first, reported initially by the Arabic satellite station Al-Jazeera and confirmed a short while later by the French foreign ministry.
"It was our son Bernard who came to tell us, because the Quai d'Orsay had just rung him," she said, referring to the foreign ministry in Paris.
"As long as it hadn't been confirmed (to us) we couldn't be sure. We have had so many dashed hopes, we could scarcely believe it," she added from the family home in Montaiguet-en-Forez, in the heart of rural central France.
"It was my granddaughter, Agnes, who took the call (from the ministry) and told her parents, who were in the cowshed. She came with them.
"Bernard was crying a lot, he has had so much pain, he sacrificed his time for his brother," she added, trying to stifle her sobs.
"I've always thought he would be home for Christmas. My husband didn't, he was pessimistic throughout and recently underwent surgery. He was miserable, but now he will be all right.
"What a relief. It's the most beautiful Christmas present."
She said she did not know when her son would return to Montaiguet-en-Forez. "We would have liked to go to Paris, but I don't know if that's going to be possible."
Georges Malbrunot, who worked for Le Figaro daily, was kidnapped on August 20 south of Baghdad with Christian Chesnot of Radio France Internationale and their Syrian driver.
The insurgency group that had been holding them, the Islamic Army in Iraq, said it had freed the reporters because of France's stance against the US-led war in Iraq and their own support for Palestinian statehood, Al-Jazeera said.
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier was to leave overnight to meet the released pair, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said, adding that "in all probability" they would be back in Paris late Wednesday.
President Jacques Chirac's office also expressed his "joy" at the release and said he would break off a Christmas vacation in Morocco to greet them on their return.
12/21/2004 18:48 GMT - AFP