PARIS, July 29 (AFP) - France on Thursday welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's praise for its campaign to curb anti-Semitism, in a cooling of tensions over Sharon's earlier call for French Jews to emigrate immediately.
"We have noted the statements of the Israeli prime minister paying tribute to France for its determined efforts to fight anti-Semitism, actions which he said set an example," said foreign ministry spokesman Herve Ladsous.
"We naturally take note of these statements with satisfaction," Ladsous added.
In a dramatic change of tone, Sharon on Wednesday hailed French President Jacques Chirac's efforts to combat anti-Jewish feeling in France, saying he hoped the "example will be followed by other countries."
Sharon made the comments as he welcomed a group of 200 Jewish immigrants from France, and just 10 days after he had urged all French Jews to escape what he called the "spread of the wildest anti-Semitism".
The remark sparked a diplomatic row between France and the Jewish state, and prompted Chirac to put the brakes on a visit by Sharon to France, saying his trip would not even be considered until Paris received an explanation.
Sharon stepped back from his initial remarks Wednesday, saying: "A distinction must be made between the fight against anti-Semitism and encouraging immigration (to Israel). The Jews should come and settle here because it is their homeland, not to flee anti-Semitism."
French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, snubbed by Israeli officials last month after he visited Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at his West Bank headquarters, is due to visit the Jewish state later this year.
Ladsous told reporters the "real bilateral visit" was likely to take place in October, adding that the two countries had "very strong ties".
The number of racist and anti-Semitic acts committed in France soared in the first half of 2004, according to interior ministry statistics, with 135 physical acts carried out against Jews and 95 against other ethnic groups.
France is home to Europe's largest Jewish and Muslim communities, estimated at 600,000 and five million respectively.