PARIS, MARCH 20 (REUTER) - FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC ON THURSDAY URGED AN ALLIANCE OF 49 FRENCH-SPEAKING NATIONS TO SUFFER NO COMPLEXES IN A DRIVE TO PROMOTE USE OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET, AS A RIVAL TO ENGLISH.

"THE PRESIDENT INSISTED THAT WE NEED HAVE NO COMPLEXES IN THIS AREA BUT INSTEAD HAVE INITIATIVES TO TAKE," GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ALAIN LAMASSOURE SAID AFTER A WEEKLY CABINET MEETING.

"(CHIRAC) RECALLED THAT... WE HAVE TWO PRIORITIES, FIRSTLY TO DEVELOP A FRANCOPHONE AREA WITH A CULTURAL DIMENSION THAT IS ALSO POLITICAL AND DYNAMIC, (AND SECONDLY) TO ENSURE THAT FRANCE IS PRESENT ON THE NEW NETWORKS," LAMASSOURE SAID.

FRANCE, LEADER OF THE 49-NATION FRANCOPHONIE CLUB OF FRENCH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 400 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, RECKONS THAT AFTER A SHAKY START IT IS CATCHING UP WITH ENGLISH ON THE WORLDWIDE COMPUTER NETWORK.

"IT WAS OUR GREAT CONCERN THAT THE INTERNET SHOULD NOT BE TOTALLY INVADED BY ANGLO-AMERICAN," SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FRANCOPHONIE MARGIE SUDRE SAID.

"BUT OUR DELAY IS NO LONGER A CURSE. OVER THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS IN FRANCE WE HAVE BEEN CATCHING UP," SHE TOLD FRANCE INTER RADIO IN AN INTERVIEW MARKING FRANCOPHONIE DAY. FRANCE IS ORGANISING SEMINARS AND SPEECHES TO CELEBRATE THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, CHIRAC SAID HE WANTED ALL HIGH SCHOOLS TO BE WIRED TO THE INTERNET BY THE YEAR 2000 TO PROMOTE COMPUTERS KILLS AND JOB PROSPECTS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

THE "WEB" IS OFFICIALLY KNOWN IN FRANCE BY THE FRENCH NAME "TOILE" BUT MANY, POSSIBLY MOST LOCAL COMPUTER ENTHUSIASTS NONETHELESS CALL IT "LE WEB."

REUTER 20-03-97