They observed a minute of silence - in honour of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by laying down their life in the service of the Alliance.

During the ceremony, coming from the French side, French President Sarkozy met halfway on the bridge with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the other Heads of State and Government, symbolising the fact that France has recently retaken its full place in the NATO structures.