France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe (C), Prime Minister Francois Fillon (L) and  Defense Minister Gerard Longuet
France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe (C), Prime Minister Francois Fillon (L) and Defense Minister Gerard Longuet, seen here during a press conference of France's president and Afghan counterpart at the presidential Elysee palace, on January 27, in Paris. Sarkozy said that France would pull its forces out of Afghanistan a year earlier than planned.