Friend of Strauss-Kahn reax as ex-IMF chief freed from house arrest
(2 Jul 2011) 1. Set up of former French government Minister (for Culture and Education) Jack Lang, friend of former International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn 2. SOUNDBITE (French) Jack Lang, former French government Minister: "It seems that the charges against him have, if not faded away, considerably been put in doubt. My feeling - I don't know all the American procedures - but my feeling is that in the next few days this situation will be confirmed and Dominique Strauss-Khan will be freed of all suspicion and will be declared innocent and will become a fully free citizen, and in particular, he will be able to get his passport back." 3. Cutaway of Lang looking at newspaper 4. SOUNDBITE (French) Jack Lang, former French government Minister: "Obviously, I would really like him to be back with us, to use his talent, his skills, his competence, his influence for the country, for the presidential campaign. It is certain that if he is back with us, he will be a very important factor of our future victory." 5. Cutaway of Lang speaking during interview 6. SOUNDBITE (French) Jack Lang, former French government Minister: "My feeling is that he will be back stronger than be was before. This may sound odd to people whose culture is different than the French culture." 7. Wide of newspaper kiosk 8. Mid of newspaper kiosk 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Lang, former French government Minister: "It appears that the testimony of the woman who has accused Dominique Strauss-Khan has lied in many circumstances and in these conditions the accusation against him becomes day after day weaker and I think that in the next days the situation will be clearer and I hope that Dominique will become completely free." 10. Various of 'Le Parisien' newspaper cover with headline reading (French) "DSK Affair: It's far from being over" 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jack Lang, former French government Minister: "Yes, for me he could be a good candidate. Anyway, he has to play a role, a great role in the future and it's very important for France and for the left and for the future struggle in France " 12. Close of 'France Soir' newspaper cover with headline reading (French) "What a story!" 13. Close of 'Liberation' newspaper cover with headline reading (French) "DSK Affair: Phase 2" STORYLINE: A political ally of the former chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Saturday he was hoping that Dominique Strauss-Kahn could still return to French politics following his release without bail on Friday. Former French government minister (for Culture and Education) Jack Lang, who has known Strauss-Kahn since the 1970s, said he wanted Strauss-Kahn to return to politics "to use his talent, his skills, his competence, his influence for the country, for the presidential campaign." "It is certain that if he is back with us, he will be a very important factor of our future victory," Lang said. Lang urged him to come back to France and join the 2012 presidential race. "He could be a good candidate" Lang said, dismissing concerns that Strauss-Kahn's image has been sullied by charges he tried to rape a hotel maid in New York. A New York judge freed Strauss-Kahn without bail on Friday after prosecutors expressed doubts about the accuser's credibility. Legal experts said the hotel maid who accused Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault may have inflicted fatal damage on her own case by lying to prosecutors about her life story and what she did in the moments after the suspected attack. encounter. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...