US President George W. Bush on Monday unexpectedly invited visiting French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier to his office in the White House in a gesture to show the significance of US-France relations.

Barnier was scheduled to meet with Steven Hadley, US national security adviser, at the White House, but Bush unexpectedly invited the French foreign minister to his office at the White House.

"Knowing that I came to see one of his advisers, Mr. Bush wished to welcome me to his office for a meeting that was not planned," Barnier told reporters after his 30-minute meeting with Bush.

Barnier said he and Bush had "cordial and direct" discussions which included the Middle East peace process, the nuclear talks between Iran and the three European Union nations -- France, Britain and Germany, and the situation of Lebanon.

Earlier on Monday, Barnier, who was on his second visit to Washington since Bush was re-elected in November, met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Relations between France and the United States deteriorated as France was strongly against the US-led Iraq war in 2003, but both sides have since exerted efforts to try to overcome their deep divisions caused by the Iraq war.