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| Sarkozy begins Washington visit | Sarkozy begins Washington visit |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun his first official visit to the United States since coming to power. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun his first official visit to the United States since coming to power. |
| He is due to address a joint session of Congress and hold talks with US President George W Bush. | He is due to address a joint session of Congress and hold talks with US President George W Bush. |
| Mr Sarkozy will also present the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, to several US citizens. | Mr Sarkozy will also present the Legion of Honour, France's highest award, to several US citizens. |
| The two presidents are expected to discuss the issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions, about which officials say they are in close agreement. | The two presidents are expected to discuss the issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions, about which officials say they are in close agreement. |
| Correspondents say the visit will help heal the divisions between the two countries that came to a head when France opposed the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. | Correspondents say the visit will help heal the divisions between the two countries that came to a head when France opposed the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. |
| The French president, who was elected in May and visited the US on holiday in August, is seen as more pro-American than his predecessor Jacques Chirac. | |
| Weak dollar | |
| The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that the Bush White House increasingly sees President Sarkozy as its principal ally in efforts to halt Iran's nuclear programme. | The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that the Bush White House increasingly sees President Sarkozy as its principal ally in efforts to halt Iran's nuclear programme. |
| However the French AFP news agency says there will be some areas of disagreement. | However the French AFP news agency says there will be some areas of disagreement. |
| In his address to Congress, President Sarkozy will touch on environmental issues, and is expected to call on the US to take the lead in the fight against climate change. | In his address to Congress, President Sarkozy will touch on environmental issues, and is expected to call on the US to take the lead in the fight against climate change. |
| Ahead of the meeting, he voiced concern about the weakness of the US dollar, saying "a strong economy should have a strong currency. You don't need a dollar too weak." |