The Manchester City striker has been ostracised by Les Bleus chief Santini after the duo were involved in a bust-up.
Santini has refused to contemplate recalling Anelka until the fleet-footed forward apologises for the outburst which prompted his exile.
Anelka has recently hinted he is ready to come in from the wilderness and stake a claim for a place in France's Euro 2004 squad.
He admits that now he has proved himself in the club arena, he is willing to discuss a return to the international set-up with Santini.
"After I refused a cap, I had to prove my worth at my club and I think I did it," Anelka told L'Equipe.
"In difficult circumstances, I showed people could talk about me on a sporting level. Scoring 20 goals with Manchester City, who are not the best club in the world, is not too bad.
"But I never closed the door on the French team. I like to talk face-to-face with people I have had trouble with.
"I can understand Santini has been affected. I would like to have a talk with him to know how he feels about things. I have only talked with him for five minutes.
"If there is an apology to make, I won't do it in the press but face-to-face with the people affected."
The former Arsenal and Real Madrid hit-man accepts he will have difficulty dislodging Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet as Santini's preferred strike partnership.
But Anelka is ready for the challenge and is relishing the prospect of playing international football again.
"I like competition," he added. "If Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet are first-team members, it will be up to me to work to rejoin them and become better.
"Anyway, each time I have been a substitute in the French team, I never said anything.
"I want to come back and be an international again. That's all. I think I have made the first step. Now, I am waiting for their decision."
