28/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Paris late on Tuesday to prepare for the informal European Council in Brussels on 7 November and the G20 Summit in Washington on 15 November (see EUROPE 9769). Before this meeting between the two men, the fourth in a month, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet met his UK counterpart Caroline Flint in the afternoon. Both highlighted the closeness of the points of view of London and Paris. “Relations between France and the United Kingdom have never been as strong or cooperation as close as they are today,” said Jouyet. Gordon Brown is to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in London on Thursday 30 October. (A.B./transl.rt)