He was expected to meet with appointed leaders Thursday night to talk about the status of overseas departments and how to improve economic and political ties. Traveling with him were France's interior and overseas department minister.

Sarkozy is to attend Friday's inauguration of the Aime Cesaire Airport, renamed in honor of Martinique's late poet and politician.

Sarkozy is then scheduled to fly to nearby Guadeloupe for talks there.

Union leaders who organized the strikes have boycotted the meetings and are demanding that the government create more jobs and benefits.

Elie Domota, spokesman of Guadeloupe's Collective Against Exploitation, said the government has already fixed its policies for overseas departments.

"Everything is decided in Paris," Domota was quoted as saying by France 24, a French-based news outlet. "People are not going to be deceived by all of this hoopla over the meetings with Sarkozy."

Guadeloupe struggled through a six-week strike that began losing steam in late February after business owners agreed to raise wages for employees.

Union leaders in Martinique ended their strike in mid-March after reaching a similar agreement.

During the strikes, Sarkozy announced a $730 million financial package to encourage development in overseas territories.

But Eric Jalton, mayor of Abymes in Guadeloupe, said he did not expect "great things" from Sarkozy's visit.

"There has been a lot of election promises," he said. "It's a bit insulting."

Sarkozy was criticized earlier for postponing a trip to the French Caribbean islands until the violence subsided.

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Associated Press writer Andre-Jean Vidal in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, contributed to this report.