Brussels, May 7 (AP): The US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair phoned Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday to offer their congratulations in the French presidential election.

Bush spoke by telephone with Sarkozy - a staunch Washington ally who promised in a victory speech that the US can ``count on our friendship - to congratulate him, a White House spokesman said.

``The United States and France are historic allies and partners. President Bush looks forward to working with President-elect Sarkozy as we continue our strong alliance,'' Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the National Security Council, said in Washington.

Blair's office said in London that the British leader also spoke to Sarkozy to offer his congratulations.

With 75 per cent of the vote counted, the conservative Sarkozy had 53.35 percent compared to 46.65 percent for Socialist Segolene Royal, according to the Interior Ministry. Turnout was a strong 85 percent.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, congratulated Sarkozy on his ``convincing election victory,'' her spokesman Thomas Steg said in Berlin.

Merkel wished Sarkozy ``much luck and success'' in a statement, adding that his ascent to the presidency comes at a key time for Europe as it struggles with tough economic reforms and decisions on how it will be run in the years to come.

``In what is one of the crucial phases for Europe, it is important to continue the close, trusting and intensive cooperation between Germany and France,'' Merkel said in the statement.

A Sarkozy presidency has been favored at EU headquarters in Brussels, notably over his support for more radical economic reform and on pushing ahead quickly with efforts to salvage the EU constitution _ meant to streamline the way the bloc makes decisions.

Sarkozy has pushed for a ``mini-treaty'' _ rather than full constitution _ to prevent bureaucratic gridlock in a bloc that has ballooned to 27 members and may eventually absorb half a dozen more.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres called Sarkozy a ``friend of Israel,'' and welcomed Sarkozy's fresh appeal for peace in the Middle East during his victory speech.

During his speech Sunday, Sarkozy appealed for all warring parties in the Middle East to ``overcome hate'' and called for the creation of a ``Mediterranean Union'' modeled after the EU peace-project started 50 years ago from the ashes of World War II.

``His pronouncement about a Middle East pact similar to the European Union is very interesting.'' said Peres, who met Sarkozy in Paris two months ago, adding: ``All friends of France should wish him success in his position.''

European leaders split along party lines on what effect his win would have in Europe and the world.

Socialists said they feared Sarkozy will push the EU's agenda further to the right on economic reforms and on its immigration policies.

``Social Europe has receded a bit today,'' said Belgian Senate chairwoman Anne-Marie Lizin. ``We see a map of Europe which is very much a conservative Europe, wanting to get rid of social protections.''

In Germany, Bavaria's Conservative Gov. Edmund Stoiber, leader of the Bavarian-only sister party to Merkel's Christian Democrats, the Christian Social Union, said Sarkozy and he agreed on questions regarding Europe's development and that he would be a ``dynamic motor'' for France.

Leaders also expressed hopes that Sarkozy will help heal relations with Washington, bruised over the war in Iraq and over how to combat climate change.

In Washington, before Royal conceded defeat, U.S. Republican Sen. Dick Lugar and Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer both cited their preference for Sarkozy.

``It would be nice to have someone who is head of France who doesn't almost have a knee-jerk reaction against the United States,'' said Schumer.

Climate change: Sarkozy calls US to lead battle

Nicolas Sarkozy, in his victory speech as France's president-elect, said the United States can ``count on our friendship,'' but urged it to take the lead against climate change.

Speaking to hundreds of cheering supporters, the conservative also vowed to be ``the president of all of the French,'' and warned that the European Union must not be ``the Trojan horse'' for globalization's ills.

Sarkozy also said France wanted to manage immigration from Africa. To Muslim women, he said: ``France will not abandon women condemned to (wear) the burqa.''

To France's ``American friends,'' Sarkozy said: ``They can count on our friendship.''

``I want to tell them that France will always be by their side when they need,'' he said. ``But I also want to tell them that friendship means accepting that friends can have different opinions.''

``A great nation, like the United States, has a duty not to block the battle against global warming but _ on the contrary _ to take the lead in this battle, because the fate of the whole of humanity is at stake.''

He said the issue would be a priority for France.

About Africa he said: ``We want to help it, to help Africa beat disease, famine, poverty and to live in peace.''

France and Africans will ``decide on a policy of managed immigration together,'' he said.

Sarkozy also vowed that France ``will be at the side'' of ``all those who are persecuted by tyranny, by dictators.''