Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni enjoy romantic meal on first outing since affair rumours

By Lizzie Smith

Show of affection: Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni leave their hotel to go for lunch during their official trip to New York

Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni put on a public show of togetherness yesterday in their first outing since extra marital affair rumours broke.

With their arms wrapped around one another they walked out of their New York hotel, smiling for the cameras.

The couple then kissed and hugged as they enjoyed dinner at a restaurant opposite, joined by Sarkozy's young son Louis.

The French president is on an official visit to New York and Washington, which will see him visit the White House for talks with President Barack Obama.

But all eyes are sure to be on Sarkozy's relationship with his First lady, after it was claimed she had been secretly romancing Benjamin Biolay, a French singer six years her junior.

It has been suggested that the 42-year-old beauty - who has in the past had numerous affairs with celebrities including English rock stars Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger - enjoyed a romantic holiday in Thailand with the musician.

At the same time, President Sarkozy, 55, was linked to his ecology minister Chantal Jouanno, 40, and also a karate champion, who denied any romantic association.


Wining and dining: The Sarkozys visited the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park, with the president's son Louis


Sarkozy's trip provides him relief from his political troubles and sinking poll ratings at home, and a chance to bask in his international stature.

Meanwhile Obama is on an upswing, having just come off his biggest domestic and international feats so far in his presidency, health care reform and a new nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia.

Today will see Sarkozy take to the podium at Columbia University determined to remind the United States that France is a crucial ally.

The 200-year-old French-American friendship, including its ups and downs from the World Wars to the U.S.-led Iraq invasion, will form the basis of Sarkozy's speech


Close: As Louis looks away, his father and stepmother embrace


Sarkozy will then meet U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with the stalled Middle East peace process and Iran's nuclear program on the agenda.

Sarkozy and Obama want talks to resume, but some in the U.S. are worried that France's talk of hosting a Middle East peace conference is premature.

And France has been among the loudest voices calling for a new round of sanctions against Iran for defying U.N. calls to suspend uranium enrichment.

Tomorrow Obama will host Sarkozy at the White House for talks in which Afghanistan, and the U.S.'s push for more European and other allied forces, is likely to take a starring role.


Getting along: The couple's show of togetherness came after rumours of affairs


Obama, fresh from his first presidential trip to Afghanistan, is expected to ask Sarkozy for more French personnel to help shore up the Afghan police and military.

France has 3,750 troops in Afghanistan and Sarkozy is determined to keep them there.

But public support in France for the war is low - as is public support for Sarkozy, whose conservative party lost big in regional elections a week ago.

Sarkozy may press Obama for U.S. support on regulating hedge funds and complain about a Pentagon mid-air refuelling tanker contract that has prompted cries of protectionism.

Airbus parent EADS says the request for bids favours rival Boeing Corp.


Sightseeing: The couple's visit to New York and Washington will include dinner with the Obamas


The Sarkozys will then join the Obamas for a private dinner in the White House.

Sarkozy is eager to polish his international standing before he takes over the chairmanship of the G-20 and G-8 groups of leading world economies next year.

A poll released Sunday showed Sarkozy's domestic support at 30 percent, a record low for his not-quite-3-year-old presidency - and well below that of his low-profile prime minister, Francois Fillon.

Sarkozy's father and wife have hinted they don't think a second term is a good idea, but Fillon dismissed that and efforts to pit the two men against each other.

'Nicolas Sarkozy is the natural candidate for the governing party in 2012,' he is quoted as saying in the Journal du Dimanche newspaper. 'I am and I will be loyal to Nicolas Sarkozy.'


source: dailymail