Sarkozy, Karzai to meet in Paris

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai will meet here Friday to discuss the military situation in Afganistan and security of French forces there, the presidency office Elysee said. According to the report, Sarkozy will receive Karzai at 1500 GMT at the Elysee Palace "for talks on the situation in Afghanistan and the French commitment to this country." The two leaders will sign a treaty of friendship and cooperation and hold a joint press conference after the meeting, it added. Last Friday, the French president decided to suspend all military training and combat operation in Afghanistan and to consider an early withdrawal of national troops from the restless country if their safety were at risk after a man wearing army uniform shot dead four French soldiers and wounded several others. Sinee 2001, 82 French servicemen have been killed in Afghanistan.