MOUNT VERNON, Virginia - French President Nicholas Sarkozy pledged the help of the Lebanese people to retain their sovereignty and independence and elect a president who represents them according to the constitution and within the scheduled limit.

"France stands engaged alongside all the Lebanese. It will not accept attempts to subjugate the Lebanese people." Sarkozy vowed in a historical speech he delivered before the U.S congress.

Sarkozy stressed that "what Lebanon needs today is a broad-based president elected according to the established schedule and in strict respect of the constitution."

"Together we must help the Lebanese people affirm their independence, their sovereignty, their freedom, their democracy," he said.

For his part, US President George W. Bush said he was "comfortable" with French outreach to Syria over the political crisis in Lebanon but insisted Lebanon must control its own destiny.

"Our common objective here is for the Lebanese democracy to survive, thrive, and serve as an example for others. We will work with France and with others to see that this process be completed by November 24," Bush said.

"I have a partner in peace," Bush said of visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy during a joint press conference here.

Sarkozy is "somebody who has clear vision, basic values, who is willing to take tough positions to achieve peace. So you ask am I comfortable with the Sarkozy government sending messages? You bet I am comfortable," said Bush.

Presidential elections in Lebanon have been twice deferred due to a lack of consensus over who should replace the pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose term runs out on November 24. -Agencies

The French president hailed the friendship between France and the United States and paid tribute to U.S. sacrifices in World War II as he drew a veil on years of tense ties.

"Since the United States first appeared on the world scene, our two peoples, the French and the American people, have always been friends," Sarkozy told the U.S. Congress in a rare address by a foreign dignitary.

As he arrived for a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives, U.S. lawmakers gave the French leader a three-minute standing ovation and his address was met bursts of warm applause.

"We may have differences, we may disagree on things, we may even have arguments, as in many families," he said, "but in times of difficulty, in times of hardship, one stands true to one’s friends, one stands shoulder to shoulder with them, one supports them, and one helps them."

Sarkozy held out an extended olive branch to Washington and President George Bush, backing the tough U.S. line on Iran’s nuclear program. But he also urged the Americans to do more to shore up the dollar and called upon them to take the lead in the fight against global warming.

He pledged before U.S. lawmakers that France would stay the course in Afghanistan.

"Let me tell you solemnly today, France will remain engaged in Afghanistan for as long as it takes, because what is at stake in that country is the very future of our values, and that of the Atlantic alliance."

He also urged the Palestinians and Israelis to reach a long-awaited peace agreement.

He said " Together we must help the people of the Middle East find the path of peace and security. To the Israeli and Palestinian leaders I say this: Don’t hesitate! Risk peace! And do it now!"

"The status quo hides even greater dangers: that of delivering Palestinian society as a whole to the extremists that contest Israel’s existence; that of playing into the hands of radical regimes that are exploiting the deadlock in the conflict to destabilize the region", Sarkozy added.

"France wants security for Israel and a State for the Palestinians," he reiterated.

Sarkozy was speaking on the second day of his first official visit to Washington since his election in May.

French-U.S. ties soured under Sarkozy’s predecessor Jacques Chirac who firmly opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

After his speech on Wednesday Sarkozy was to join Bush for talks at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s historic residence located just outside the U.S. capital.

The French leader reiterated on Wednesday his strong support of the U.S. drive to deprive Iran of atomic weapons, saying to applause that "the prospect of a nuclear-armed is unacceptable to France."

"The Iranian people are a great people," he said. "They deserve better than the sanctions and growing isolation their leaders are condemning them to."

"Iran must be persuaded to choose the option of cooperation, dialogue and openness ... we will be firm and we will keep up the dialogue," he said.

Sarkozy also renewed French concerns over currency imbalances, bemoaning the weakness of the U.S. dollar and the undervaluation of the Chinese yuan, saying the currency "disarray" could lead to "economic war." -Agencies