PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy offered Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek his "total support" as France prepares to hand over the presidency of the EU to the Czech Republic on Thursday.
The two leaders spoke by telephone on Wednesday evening, his office said, discussing the situation in the Middle East before Sarkozy wished Topolanek well as Prague takes over at the European Union's helm for the next six months.
Tensions between the two countries became strained earlier this year when French government aides suggested Sarkozy could retain some influence after France's six-month term expired on December 31.
Earlier, Sarkozy said in his annual televised New Year address that he believed the past six months demonstrated the need for a "strong, independent" Europe.
"In a period of crisis that the world has not seen for some time, I tried to change Europe," Sarkozy said.
"For a long time, I have had the belief that Europe should not suffer but act and protect," he said.
The French president pointed to the EU's responses to the financial crisis, the Russia-Georgia conflict and an agreement on climate change as evidence that "the world needs a strong, independent and imaginative Europe."
Sarkozy said Wednesday the French initiative to push for a summit between the G-20 heads of state and government had been essential to coordinate a common response to the global economic crisis.