STOCKHOLM, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was quick to congratulate Nicolas Sarkozy on his election victory in France Sunday night, said reports reaching here from Oslo on Monday.

    Nicolas Sarkozy was elected president of France on Sunday, and promised rapid reforms.

    "I congratulate Nicolas Sarkozy," Stoltenberg said in a brief comment, adding that his government looks forward to cooperating with the new French president.

    According to Norwegian media, Sarkozy's conservative politics are fairly far removed from Stoltenberg's Labor Party line and the center-left government that Stoltenberg heads.

    Stoltenberg stressed that Norway and France have always had close connections and that it was important that they be further developed.