The Marine Corps responded after shares in the French firm tumbled on news that Republican US lawmakers were campaigning for the contract's cancellation because of France's position on the war in Iraq.

Marine Corps spokesman Matthew McLaughlin said the contract would be honored.

"The US Marine Corps is going to fulfill its obligations of the contract," the spokesman told AFP.

"We are not aware of any letter to the secretary (of defense), but if the secretary were to want to discuss with headquarters any of his concerns with this company, he would do it at the appropriate level."

The lawmakers had launched a petition calling on the Defense Department to drop the contract with Sodexho Inc., the US affiliate of Sodexho Alliance.

"My colleagues and I abhor the idea of continuing to pour American dollars into a French-based firm when those dollars could be feeding our wartime economy," Georgia Representative Jack Kingston stated in his draft petition.

"Termination of the relationship between Sodexho and the US military will send a tangible signal to the French government that there are economic consequences associated with their international policies," he added.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said President George W. Bush had not weighed in on the matter.

"The president has a few other things on his mind that he's focused on," Fleischer said.

Sodexho spokeswoman Leslie Aun said that the military should focus on the war.

"The Marine Corps has got a lot on its plate right now. They've got more important things on their mind right now," Aun said after news of the congressional request broke.

The move marked the latest in the "food fight" between the United States and France.

Earlier this month, the House changed its cafeteria menus to "freedom fries" from the more traditional "French fries."

And Wednesday, President George W. Bush's plane, Air Force One, served "stuffed freedom toast topped with strawberries" on a flight to Florida, no longer serving "French toast."

WAR.WIRE