Jean-Bernard Mérimée, France's former United Nations ambassador, has been charged with corruption and bribery of foreign officials as part of a French investigation into suspected irregularities in the Iraq oil-for-food programme.

Mr Mérimée was released on bail of €150,000 (£102,000, $180,000) after being questioned by an investigating magistrate as part of his three-year inquiry into more than 11 French officials and businessmen suspected of having received oil vouchers from Saddam Hussein's regime.