Pubdate: Fri, 2 July 1999 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 1999 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Forum: http://www10.nytimes.com/comment/ World Briefings: FRANCE: NORIEGA CONVICTED A court convicted Gen. Manuel Noriega and his wife in absentia of laundering $2.7 million in drug profits through French banks for Colombia's Medellin drug cartel in 1988 and 1989, before a U.S. invasion ended his dictatorial rule in Panama. General Noriega, who was decorated as a commander of the Legion of Honor in France in 1987, is now serving a prison sentence in Florida on a money-laundering conviction. His wife's whereabouts are unknown. The French court gave them both 10-year jail sentences and ordered them to pay $33 million in fines. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake