UPDATE 1-France says Gaddafi gave guarantees on rights

(Recasts with Yade comments, Socialist reaction)

By Crispian Balmer

PARIS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - The French government said on Thursday it had obtained guarantees from Muammar Gaddafi about human rights in his country, but the comments failed to quell a widespread controversy about the Libyan leader's lengthy visit.

Gaddafi is in France for the first time in 34 years, pitching his Bedouin tent in the gardens of the presidential guest residence and stretching out his stay over six days.

Opposition leaders and even some government officials have accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of turning a blind eye to human rights violations in Libya in his haste to wrap up business deals with the energy-rich north African state.

The government member who first sounded the alarm at the start of the week moved to defuse the row, saying that talking to Gaddafi had yielded results on human rights.

"The president pushed constantly and successfully for guarantees from the Libyan head of state in this area," junior minister for human rights Rama Yade told the upper house of parliament. She did not say what guarantees had been obtained.

Yade sparked controversy on Monday by saying France was not a "doormat" on which Gaddafi could wipe off the blood of his crimes, and that if Paris did business with him it should demand guarantees on rights in his country.

Looking to calm the furore, a French presidential source said Sarkozy had asked Gaddafi on Wednesday to condemn the twin car bombings in Algeria earlier this week that killed dozens.