French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to begin a two-day state visit to Spain on Monday. The President will meet with King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Associated Press reported. Sarkozy, accompanied by his wife, Carla Bruni, is to be greeted at Madrid's airport by Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos on arrival at 11.30 a.m. (0930 GMT) Monday. He will then be formally received by the king at the Pardo palace, where visiting dignitaries traditionally stay. After lunching with the monarch, the two will visit the Prado art museum in downtown Madrid. On Tuesday, Sarkozy and Zapatero will hold talks centering on cooperation in combating the armed Basque group ETA and issues such as Afghanistan and the fight against piracy in waters off Somalia.
