This article was originally published by Maan News and is republished with permission.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy will receive Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday. He is expected to announce direct aid to Abbas' emergency government.

This will be the first encounter between the two men since the right-wing French politician took office last month.

The visit is part of a series of visits and meetings Abbas is carrying out with many Arab and foreign leaders in order to bolster political and economic support for his emergency government. The discussions will also focus on the current Palestinian dilemma and other regional problems.

The spokesman of the French presidency, David Martinon, said, "Paris sees the PA's current situation as very fragile; that is why Sarkozy wishes to support Abbas through restoring direct aid to the emergency government."

He added that France and the president will support the Palestinians in order to achieve peace and build a Palestinian state, which he said the Palestinians are keen to achieve and have the right to do so.

Having successfully brokered a European deal with Poland, Reuters reported on Friday that Sarkozy is considering turning his diplomatic skills to bringing peace to the Middle East.

"President Sarkozy seems to have the Israeli authorities' confidence and, to my knowledge, he also has the same level of respect from Arab leaders," Martinon told Reuters.

French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner is also expected to meet Abbas separately on Friday.

Sarkozy will then meet Jordan's King Abdullah II and Israel's foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, separately on Wednesday, Reuters reported.