Mr Sarkozy paid tribute to Britain's history of repelling "invincible armadas" and the "magnificent accomplishment" of the Battle of Britain.
"The strength of the British people has always been that of a free people, a people that takes its own decisions, that determines its own fate, and and is prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice in order to defend its freedoms," he said.
"How many battles has your nation won that everyone thought you had lost? If your nation has been able to face so many challenges that seemed impossible to overcome it is because, quite simply because, you believed that your cause was a just one."
While he said that Britain was seen in many countries as a "political and human ideal", it was with France that it had the "tightest, closest ties".
"The destiny of our countries have been intermingled for some 1,000 years since William the Conqueror landed from Normandy and wrested the throne of Edward the Confessor, right through to the reverse trend whereby thousands of young British men and women contributed to the liberating of Europe," he said.
While Britain and France had found themselves over the centuries "locked in combat" it was "not because we were too different but because we were too alike".
Full blurb here:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20080326/t ... a1618.html
