The German Chancellor-elect Gerhard Schröder is in Paris to reassure French leaders that that Bonn will continue to regard France as its closest ally.

The visit on Wednesday to see the conservative French President is Mr Schröder's first foreign trip since the electoral victory of the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Sunday.

Mr Schröder will also hold talks with the French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin.

French concern

BBC Bonn correspondent, Caroline Wyatt, says the French leadership has been unsettled by the defeat of its old ally Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

French commentators have recently expressed fears that the SPD's intention of forming closer ties with the UK would leave Paris in the cold.

Before his election victory Mr Schröder said his policies were closer to those of the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

He also suggested widening the Franco-German alliance to include Britain - comments that our correspondent says went down badly in Paris.

But our correspondent says Mr Schröder now appears determined to stress that Germany's ties with France will remain paramount.

This relationship is likely to take on even greater significance in January when Germany assumes the presidency of the European Union and the G8 group of industrialised nations.

"The SPD stands for economic stability, law and order and continuity in foreign policy," Mr Schröder said.

Mr Chirac said that when he met the new German leader he would put forward proposals to renew ties between Paris and Bonn, and to strengthen the EU.

Clear victors

The SPD emerged a clear victor in Sunday's election with 41% of the vote, ending 16 years of government by Chancellor Kohl and his Christian Democratic Union (CDU).