The French Government is not likely to proceed with a plan to build a new airport on the site of war graves, the Northern Ireland Secretary, John Reid, has predicted.

A proposal to build a third airport for Paris on the battlefields of the Somme aroused much opposition in Northern Ireland.

Among the graves lie a dozen from Irish regiments - young men from all the provinces of Ireland - Royal Munster and Dublin Fusiliers, Royal Irish Lancers and the famous Royal Inniskillings.

Dr Reid visited the Somme war graves last week for the annual commemoration and has been raising objections with the authorities in France.

John Reid has opposed moving war graves

He said: "It is appropriate that in the month when we commemorate the ultimate sacrifice made by so many during the Battle of the Somme, the threat to their final resting place seems to be diminishing."

Dr Ian Adamson, chairman of the Somme Association, welcomed Dr Reid's comments.

"John Reid should be commended for all the work he has done not only at the airport at Chaulmes but also attending the ceremonies last year at Guilemont.

"He gave a speech last year which gave a place to the Irish nationalist contribution to the Somme which is very important because those aspects of our shared inheritance are important today," he said.

Airport problems

The cemetery at Fouquescourt is one of six which would have to be moved if the third Paris Airport went ahead.

The proposed site is north of Paris's other airports

The French Government had said a new complex was needed because the two existing Paris airports could not cope with demand.

The governments of Canada, Australia and the UK have all voiced opposition.

Dr Adamson said he believed the French Government had been swayed by the weight of the arguments against the move.

"It would have been something that the French would have regretted in the long term because they hold Verdun in such high esteem in their own history.

"It would have been almost unthinkable that they wouldn't have afforded the same respect to their allies," he said.