But Paris did not say whether it was willing to make a special gesture towards Beijing in response to Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Hongbo's call for France to make the first step.

Ties between France and China cooled after President Nicolas Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama last month, ignoring warnings from Beijing that such a meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader would harm relations.

"As we have repeatedly said, France wants to have a relationship with China that is useful to all, stable and calm," said French foreign ministry spokesman Frederic Desagneaux.

"This relationship is in the interest of our two peoples and our two countries," he said. "That is why we would like to pursue a dialogue that builds confidence and is constructive with China."

In Beijing, the assistant foreign minister said China was "ready to work with France to improve our bilateral relations" but quoted a Chinese proverb that says "the one who tied the knot should be the one who unties it."

"As the one who tied the knot, France, I believe, is clear about what needs to be done," Wu said.

Wu was speaking at a briefing about Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's visit to Europe next week that includes stops in Switzerland, Germany, Spain and Britain, as well as the EU headquarters in Brussels -- but not France.

A French foreign ministry spokesman denied on Tuesday that Wen's omission of his country was a snub to President Nicolas Sarkozy's government.

China opposes any foreign leaders meeting the Dalai Lama, whom it accuses of trying to seek independence from Chinese rule for his Himalayan homeland.

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