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Lebanese President Michel Suleiman says he and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy have met to discuss Lebanon''s internal problems, their bilateral relations and Mideast peace efforts.

Sarkozy welcomed Suleiman to the presidential Elysee Palace for a brief conversation on Saturday. Suleiman told reporters afterward that the two leaders also discussed Lebanon''s two-year term on the U.N. Security Council.

Suleiman had a three-day state visit to France in March that aimed to bolster his image in the West as a guarantor of stability in a restive region. Lebanon is a former French protectorate, and the two countries retain close ties.