German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Sunday chided Chancellor Angela Merkel indirectly for supporting French President Nicolas Sarkozy's re-election campaign. Westerwelle, the former leader of Merkel's Free Democrat coalition partners, said in two separate interviews that the German government should remain neutral when France goes to the polls this year.

In an interview with German public broadcaster ARD, Westerwelle pointedly said that the federal government was "obviously neutral" in the French election campaign, though he did not mention Merkel's support of Sarkozy explicitly.

"Anyone who is democratically elected to the government of France will be a good partner to Germany," Westerwelle said, having previously made similar comments in an interview with news magazine Der Spiegel.

On the campaign trail - abroad

Last month, Merkel's Christian Democratic Union - which is ideologically similar to the UMP led by Sarkozy - announced that the chancellor intended to support her French counterpart on the campaign trail.

"The CDU chairwoman, Chancellor Angela Merkel, will actively support Nicolas Sarkozy with joint appearances in the election campaign in the spring," the CDU statement said.

Merkel, Westerwelle and other German ministers travel to Paris on Monday for meetings with the French government. Merkel and Sarkozy, sometimes dubbed "Merkozy" owing to their frequent public appearances in tandem, will deliver a joint press conference.

France's Socialist candidate Francois Hollande currently leads Sarkozy in French opinion polls. The Socialists have responded coolly to Merkel's stance, with Hollande saying it is her right to endorse any candidate she chooses.

The first round of the French presidential election will take place on April 22, with a run-off vote on May 6 if required.

msh/ccp (dapd, dpa)