国际英语新闻：Sarkozy says France's unemployment to decline

PARIS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- French President Nicolas Sakozy said Monday during his first television appearance this year that the unemployment of France will decline in the coming months as the economy improves.

"In the coming weeks and months, you will see unemployment decline in our country," Sarkozy promised during the political channel TF1's prime-time news program when questioned by 11 public representatives chosen from all walks of life.

Insisting France's better performance after the financial crisis struck, the president also pointed out that the heavy burden of social welfare weighs on the long-term economic development.

"The level of our public and social expense is the highest in the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), " a group of 30 developed economies, Sarkozy added.

France's unemployment rate has reached 10.0 percent, according to the latest report of OECD.

A recent poll conducted by TNS-Sofres for Europe 1 radio posted employment as the top concerned topic of French public, followed by pension and domestic purchasing power.

Although approved for France's instant aid effort for quake-hit Haiti, Sarkozy's supporting rate was reported at 38 percent, remaining near record low, according to a monthly popularity poll released on Sunday.