France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (C) observes a minute of silence to honour French soldiers killed in Afghanistan as he visits French troops at the 152nd Infantry Regiment military base in Tora in the region of Surobi July 12, 2011.  [Photo/Agencies]

KABUL - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said during a visit to Afghanistan on Tuesday that France will pull out 1,000 troops from its mission there by the end of 2012, as it speeds up its withdrawal with the United States.

Sarkozy -- on an unannounced five-hour visit to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai and General David Petraeus and drop in on French troops in the region of Surobi -- said France's remaining soldiers would be based in Kapisa province.

France has some 4,000 soldiers in Afghanistan.