It is appropriate the French Government take the views of Australians and the descendants of the dead into consideration

Bob Carr

France announced in November that it intended to build a third airport north of Paris, on the old battlefields of the Somme, where some one million soldiers of the British Empire, France and Germany were killed.

A meeting of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, planned in London on Wednesday, would be told of "the Australian people's deep concern about any development that would impact upon the graves," Mr Downer said.

Australia's ambassador in Paris, William Fisher, would also register concern with the French Government, he said, and would ask for Australia to be consulted.

Earlier, the Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr, said France needed to remember that the Australians buried in some of the cemeteries had died defending French soil.

Easing the crowds

"In France, Australian blood stained the soil. At Ypres and Flanders alone, 6,198 Australians died," Mr Carr said.

"It is appropriate the French Government take the views of Australians and the descendants of the dead into consideration," he added.

Mr Carr said he had also written to the French Ambassador, Pierre Viaux, asking Paris to negotiate with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Office of Australian War Graves before making a final decision.

The French Government says that a third airport is necessary to ease pressure at Orly and Charles-De-Gaulle airports, which already service Paris.

The proposed site for the airport is Chaulnes, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of the capital.

In the past Britain has expressed dismay at the plan with a Defence Minister, Lewis Moonie, warning that the UK will oppose it.

"If the proposals do appear to affect war graves cemeteries containing British and Commonwealth graves, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will firmly resist any plans to disturb the war dead," Mr Moonie said.