The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Doha

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy wrapped up Wed-nesday a Gulf visit during which he agreed with Saudi King Abdullah on the need to restart Middle East peace talks and took a firm stance on Iran.

In three hours of "deep" talks at Abdullah's Janadiriyah desert farm, north of Riyadh, late Tuesday, the leaders "were agreed on the need for rapid steps to relaunch the peace process," an official of the French presidency told AFP. King Abdullah is "on the same wavelength" as France on the need to relaunch the peace process, the official said.

On Wednesday, Sarkozy made a brief stopover in Doha where his wife Carla Bruni arrived a day earlier to take part in a conference on education, following an invitation by the emir's wife, Sheikha Moza al-Misnid. Riyadh slams Israel's new settlements

Sarkozy held talks with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, before the presidential couple headed back to Paris.