Report: Assad calls on France to help end Gaza blockade

President Bashar Assad urged France and the European Union on Sunday to help end the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, SANA, Syria's state-run news agency said. According to SANA, Assad made his comments Sunday while receiving Claude Gueant, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's chief of staff, and Sarkozy's diplomatic adviser, Jean-David Levitte. The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report.