US, French officials meet in Paris before summit

PARIS – Officials say U.S. envoys have been meeting with senior advisers to French President-elect Francois Hollande to discuss crucial summit meetings in the U.S. next week and other issues.

Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon, Deputy National Security Adviser Mike Froman and Antony Blinken, national security adviser to Vice President Joe Biden, were in Paris for talks with Hollande's campaign chief, defense adviser and expected diplomatic adviser.

Hollande — a Socialist who defeated President Nicolas Sarkozy, a steadfast U.S. ally, on Sunday — is expected to meet President Barack Obama next week in Washington before attending the Group of Eight summit in Camp David followed by a NATO summit in Chicago.

Hollande has vowed to bring home French troops early from the NATO mission in Afghanistan.