Sarkozy visits troubled Corsica

PARIS, July 22 (UPI) -- Two years after Corsica rejected his offer of limited autonomy, French Interior Minister Nicholas Sarkozy paid a visit Friday to the troubled island.

Sarkozy's arrival on the Mediterranean island was his first since assuming the role of interior minister last month. He is scheduled to visit wine-growing regions and areas of the island touched by widespread forest fires and to meet with agricultural representatives.

He is also expected to address Corsica's fractious local assembly.

Besides rejecting Sarkozy's limited autonomy plan for the island, Corsica -- like the rest of France -- most recently rejected the European constitution in the May referendum, by more than 58 percent.