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French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) with his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres in Paris in March.
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JERUSALEM (EJP)---French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is make a state visit to Israel in June, will express his commitment to the country, former Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said in Jerusalem.
Raffarin, who is Sarkozy’s representative at the international conference "Facing Tomorrow" organized by Israeli president Shimon Peres in Jerusalem on the occasion of Israel’s 60th anniversary, told AFP that the visit will take place in the second half of June.
It will be the first such visit by a French president since 12 years.
"This visit will be a great and strong event," Raffarin said.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in an interview this week that relations between France and Israel since Sarkozy's election one year ago became somewhat a keen to a "love story."
"This is not only a honeymoon, it is a love story. I think that Nicolas Sarkozy is a very good friend of Israel," Olmert said in an interview with French radio channels RFI, Europe 1 and France Inter.
"Sometimes, there have been some tensions, and it has been a little difficult. But, thank God, these relations are currently at the level where they need to be," Olmert said, attributing the development to the efforts of "a friendly president, a friendly government and a friendly people."
"We hope that these relations will continue to develop in this direction," he said, stressing that he "personally" appreciated the input of President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"Even before he was elected president, he told me that he wanted to come to Israel. When he was elected, he repeated that he wanted to come over. Now he has decided to join us during celebrations marking the 60th anniversary since the founding of the state of Israel," the Israeli Prime Minister said.
He added: "France has always been a great friend of Israel and the Jewish people. The Jews have flourished in France: They have played a part in all the great achievements in the country. They characterize the French culture, they are found among the intellectuals.”
Olmert was echoing remarks made by Israeli President Shimon Peres during his state visit to France in March.
