Chirac back at work after illness

President Jacques Chirac is back at work and capable of carrying out his duties after an illness that kept him in a hospital for a week, the French Prime Minister said today.

Chirac, 72, was to hold talks with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh – the first official meeting for the French leader since he was released from hospital on Friday.

“The president is applying himself to his job,” Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin told RMC radio, adding that he had worked through the weekend with Chirac to prepare for this week’s UN summit in New York.

Villepin will attend the summit in Chirac’s place after doctors advised the French leader to limit his activities for this week and avoid air travel for six weeks.

The government has yet to detail the nature of Chirac’s illness. Chirac was admitted to hospital on September 2 after suffering a “small vascular accident” that impaired vision in one eye, doctors said.