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Today, 07 July 2009

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After suggestive pictures sparked outrage and debate from Paris to her native Indian Ocean island of Reunion, beauty queen Valerie Begue was told on Friday she could keep her Miss France title.

The 22-year-old student risked losing her award after a French scandal magazine printed pictures showing her lasciviously licking yoghurt off a wall and lying in a bathing suit on a cross.

Genevieve de Fontenay, the formidable 75-year-old who has run the Miss France contest for more than 50 years, said she still found the photographs shocking but had agreed not to take the matter further.

"I am happy to keep my title and I want to thank all those who helped me," said Begue, whose plight unleashed a campaign of support on her home island.

A compromise agreement was signed at the close of a meeting also attended by representatives of Endemol, the Dutch-based independent TV and events producer behind shows such as Big Brother which owns the Miss France title rights.

Cannot take part in international competitions

It stipulates that Begue cannot take part in any international beauty competitions as long as she bears the Miss France crown.

Nor, for the moment, will she be allowed to participate in regional forums to select next year's French "Miss".

De Fontenay had earlier demanded Begue be immediately stripped of her crown, awarded through a combination of judging and television viewer votes earlier this month.

But Reunion rallied on Begue's behalf, with politicians and even the Bishop of Reunion leading the call for their island queen to keep her crown.

"Reunion has suffered enough in recent months, it didn't need another poke in the eye," said French overseas secretary Christian Estrosi, praising Friday's decision.

Reaction back on the island was more muted, though, with the mayor of Saint-Leu, Begue's Reunion hometown, applauding a "just decision" but qualifying as "regrettable and unjust" the ban on international competition.

For its part, the committee backing Begue of politicians, business figures and former Miss Reunion winners said the decision "compromised" the title's worth.

Begue, who has launched judicial proceedings against Entrevue magazine which published the photographs, promised to give any damages she received to two charities.

AFP