France

French President in surprise visit to Iraq

Article published on the 2009-02-10 Latest update 2009-02-10 11:00 TU

Nicolas Sarkozy (L) holding a joint news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani (R) in Baghdad on Tuesday
(Photo: Reuters)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has met his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad in the first visit by a French leader to the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Sarkozy was met by Jalal Talabani and a guard of honour. An official travelling with the French delegation, which includes Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, said the visit showed that France supports the country's "democracy, national reconciliation and rebuilding".

The trip is also seen as a major step in repairing ties with both Iraq and the US after French opposition to the US-led invasion of the country in March 2003.

The French leader, who will also meet Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on a tour of the region that will take him to Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

The trip is intended to reinforce France's influence in the region although Sarkozy is not expected to sign any major agreements.

Back in France, high-speed winds have wreaked chaos in the north and west of the country knocking out power supplies and causing the closure of  France's two main airports for the first time in 34 years.

Wind speeds of up to 100 km per hour were recorded on the Atlantic coast with forecasters saying they could reach 160 km per hour.

The hurricane winds come just two weeks after another storm killed 11 people in the southwest of the country.