Chirac jokes about future, keeps options open

CANNES, France, Feb 17 (Reuters) Departing from his usual dry response to questions about his future, French President Jacques Chirac took to joking about whether he will run for a third term as France's head of state.

Few observers believe that Chirac, 74, will run again for the nation's top job after 12 years in power, but yesterday he has refused to rule it out, saying instead that he will announce his decision by the end of March.

Asked at a news conference whether this week's French-African summit, which is held once every two years, would be his last, he toyed with reporters' nerves by replying: ''Yes, for this year.'' Opinion polls show Socialist Segolene Royal and Chirac's interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, tied in the race for the April/May election. A large majority of French does not want Chirac to run again, separate surveys show.

Reuters BDP DB0846