LIBREVILLE - French Defense Minister Jean- Yves Le Drian, who is on an African tour over the crisis in Central African Republic, on Friday met with Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba, a French diplomatic source in Libreville has confirmed.

Le Drian arrived in Libreville on Friday afternoon, coming from Central African Republic, just after visiting Niamey in Niger.

"The meeting centered on the Central African Republic's crisis, " said the diplomatic source, who did not wish to be named.

"As he said earlier, Gabon is one of the key countries needed to support efforts to resolve the crisis," the source added.

Libreville has sent to Central African Republic about 500 soldiers. The police wing of the International Support Mission for Central African Republic (MISCA) is led by a Gabonese officer.

After Libreville, the French minister was on Friday evening expected to head to N'Djamena in Chad, another country that is heavily involved in search for a solution to the Central African Republic crisis.