Sarkozy plans trip without wife amidst divorce rumours

PARIS: French first lady Cecilia Sarkozy will not accompany President Nicolas Sarkozy on a state visit to Morocco next week, his spokesman said on Monday but he declined to comment on reports that they are getting a divorce.

"I have no comment to make on this issue," presidential spokesman David Martinon said when asked about a spate of articles over the past week reporting that the couple had decided to end their marriage.

Sarkozy is due to pay a state visit to Morocco next week but the 49-year-old former model will not accompany him for the high-level visit.

"As far as I know, the wife of the president will not be on the trip," said Martinon.

Cecilia Sarkozy has barely been seen by Sarkozy's side since he took office in May, fuelling growing speculation that she is unhappy in her role as first lady and wants to separate.

The couple have had a turbulent relationship and split up for several months in 2005 when she ran off to New York with an advertising executive. Reports say Cecilia has recently been seen in Geneva and London.

La Tribune financial newspaper at the weekend quoted on its Internet site a 'generally well-informed source' saying that a divorce will be officially declared by a court on Wednesday.

L'Est Republicain newspaper, which first reported on its website an imminent separation on Friday morning, said it stood by its story and that 'the only question is how the Elysee (the French government) will make the announcement.'

Sarkozy is due to visit Morocco on October 22 and 23.