(UNITED NATIONS) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, current head of the European Union, called Tuesday for a "joint economic community" between Europe and Russia.

"Because it wants peace, Europe says to Russia that it wants solidarity, that it wants to build a common future, that it wants to be its partner. Why not build a joint economic community on a continental scale that would unite Russia and Europe?" Sarkozy asked at the UN General Assembly.

However, refering to Russia's military attack on Georgia this summer, Sarkozy underlined that the European Union "cannot compromise on the principal of sovereignty and independence of states."

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