French PM cancels Paris Expo

The French Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, has cancelled his country's plan to host an international expo near Paris in 2004 because of lack of finance or foreign interest.

The decision was said to be based on a report by the government's inspector of finances which spoke of delays in preparation and no guarantees that the project was financially viable.

The expo, which was planned to be held in the suburban district of Seine-Saint-Denis, was the project of the Socialist former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.

Prime Minister Raffarin, a Conservative, replaced Mr Jospin after he resigned in May following his defeat in the France's presidential elections.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service