KUN0047 4 GEN 0333 FRANCE /AFP -REX8 FRANCE-MAURITANIA-TALKS France, Mauritania to hold political, economic talks PARIS, Sept 25 (KUNA) -- France and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania are scheduled to begin two days of political and economic talks in Paris Tuesday during the visit here of Mauritanian President Ely Ould Mohammed Vall, official sources announced. The Mauritanian leader will meet with President Jacques Chirac to discuss a number of bilateral, regional, and international issues and the contentious issue of the Western Sahara is likely to be high on the agenda. The Western Sahara is at the center of an ongoing tussle between Morocco and the Polisario guerrilla movement and Mauritania is also a local actor that has had influence in the dispute. Morocco claims the Western Sahara region and has been fighting the Polisario for decades without managing to take full control of the vast region. The Mauritanian President will also hold talks with French Cooperation and Development Minister Brigitte Girardin and France expressed satisfaction at the "good results obtained by the government in matters of economic and financial reform." In this respect, talks will also be held between the Mauritanian delegation and the French Business Federation (MEDEF) to discuss potential investment, trade and economic cooperation. The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it hoped the business meeting would provide "useful contacts" for the two sides. It noted that Girardin had paid a visit to Mauritania August 30-31 and had signed two important financial accords for development projects in that country. France said Monday that it was following Mauritania's democratization policy and that it fully "encouraged and supported" this process. French authorities will be recalling to the Mauritanian leader the need to stick to commitments he made in August, 2005, to set out an electoral timetable and for the government to remain neutral during the transition period.(end) Jk.wsa KUNA 251612 Sep 06NNNN