At a farewell meeting Tuesday with outgoing French leader Jacques
Chirac, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said the West Bank city of Ramallah would name a street after him.

Chirac, who will leave office after the French presidential election's final round May 6, was also given an open invitation to visit the Palestinian territories, Abbas said.

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The objective of this visit was to meet President Chirac and to thank this great man for all he has done for the Palestinian people, Abbas told reporters after talks at the Elysee Palace.

Abbas said he told Chirac that Ramallah's mayor had decided to name of the one most important streets in the city after Chirac. Chirac's spokesman said the French leader appreciated that gesture of friendship.

Chirac has close ties with the Palestinians and won fans across the Muslim world when he opposed the U.S.-led Iraq invasion.

Chirac reiterated his support for restarting the flow of aid to the
Palestinians, and he thanked Abbas for efforts to free BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, who was abducted by gunmen in Gaza City on March 12.

Meanwhile, Abbas left the Jordanian capital of Amman for Paris Tuesday for talks with Chirac at the outset of a new European tour.

"The president will be seeking the support of European leaders for lifting the year-long economic and financial siege on the Palestinians and convincing Israel to resume negotiations with the Palestinians on the final solution issues," Palestinian ambassador to Jordan Atallah Khairy told DPA.

Abbas' trip, which comes two days after a meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, also has the aim of "explaining to European governments the Arab Peace Initiative," which was readopted by the Arab summit conference in Riyadh at the end of March, Khairy said.

French presidential hopeful Sarkozy pledges to defend Israel
Leading French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy said Tuesday that he favors the creation of a Palestinian state and if elected, will guarantee Israel's security.

Sarkozy, after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday, said he would ensure continuity in French policy toward the Middle East after President Jacques Chirac leaves office next month.

Mubarak did not speak to reporters Tuesday. After meeting with Chirac on Monday, Mubarak said he expected that French policy toward the Middle East would not change - whoever is elected in the April 22-May 6 vote.

Sarkozy has been leading the polls this year, closely followed by Socialist nominee Segolene Royal. Center-right candidate Francois Bayrou trails in third, while far-right hopeful Jean-Marie Le Pen is a distant fourth.

"I will guarantee Israel's security and I want a homeland - a state - for the Palestinians," Sarkozy said. "I want independence for Lebanon and I want to have a relationship of confidence with the various Arab governments." He did not elaborate about how he would guarantee Israel's security.

Mubarak did not meet with any other French presidential hopefuls during this trip to Paris.