Chadian president Idriss Deby Itno says he is willing to pardon six French aid workers convicted of trying to fly more than 100 children out of the country.
'I am ready to pardon them,' Mr Deby said. 'If the French government makes the request, we are able to ask for their release.'
Asked whether a pardon could take place soon, he replied, 'Absolutely.'
Mr Deby first indicated this after talks with the French defence minister in N'Djamena.
The members of French charity Zoe's Ark were sentenced to eight years hard labour in Chad and now are serving an equivalent jail sentence in France, for trying to evacuate 103 children from the Darfur border in October.
The charity staff said they believed the children were orphans from Darfur but international aid staff later found almost all the children to be Chadian and to have at least one living parent.
'The Chadian children did not leave. They are here now, with their parents. We managed to avoid the worst. What good does it do me to have six French nationals in prison?' Mr Deby said.
Lawyers for four of the aid workers said they have already filed pardon requests with the French presidency. The other two are expected to follow suit shortly.
