Sarkozy: French troops will remain in Afghanistan 'as long as necessary'

Paris: President Nicolas Sarkozy says French troops will stay in Afghanistan "as long as necessary" to stabilise the country.

Sarkozy says France has no intention of staying in Afghanistan "indefinitely" but that abandoning the fight now would "open the road to terrorism and the violence of fanatics."

The French leader was speaking at a military ceremony in Paris on Monday, a day before President Barack Obama is to announce a revised American strategy for the war in Afghanistan.

Later Monday, President Barack Obama called Sarkozy, and the two men spoke for 40 minutes about subjects including Afghanistan - a day before Obama is to announce a revised American strategy for the war there, Sarkozy's office said.