No European country will avoid economic recession in 2009, but France "resists rather better" to the crisis than other European countries, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Thursday in an interview with Europe 1 radio.

"Since the beginning of this crisis, France, compared to other European countries, has resisted rather better," Fillon said. He expects France to get out of the crisis "in late 2009 or early 2010".

According to Fillon, the French government expects a 0.2 percent to 0.5 percent economic growth next year.

The French economy unexpectedly avoided recession in the third quarter of 2008 with a 0.1 percent growth. However, analysts expect the country's conditions to worsen in 2009.

(Xinhua News Agency December 19, 2008)