Sarkozy told China was "shocked" by Tibet crisis

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he had been "shocked" by the recent violence in Tibet and had said so to the Chinese head of state.

"I was shocked by what happened in Tibet and I said so to the president," he said during a live television interview.

Sarkozy said France was trying to create conditions for dialogue between the Chinese authorities and the Dalai Lama. Asked whether China had given any assurances it was moving towards such a dialogue, he said: "Some signs, yes."

(Reporting by Francois Murphy and Estelle Shirbon)