Bush calls for stronger US-EU ties
George W. Bush’s administration has pledged to commit itself to endorsing a strong transatlantic alliance between the United States and Europe.
The US president comments come after a conspicuous schism emerged between Europe and America in the wake of the war against Iraq.
Mr. Bush, in a keynote speech, called on European powers to work with the US to curb the proliferation of weapons on mass destruction.
in the Polish city of Krakow, Mr. Bush said: ‘We have seen unity and common purpose. We’ve also seen debate, some of it healthy, some of it divisive.
‘The United States is committed to a strong Atlantic alliance, to ensure our security, to advance human freedom and to keep peace in the world.
‘This is no time to stir up divisions in a great alliance.
‘We will extend this partnership as broadly as possible to keep the world’s most destructive weapons away from our shores and out of the hands of our common enemies.’
Mr. Bush is in Poland on the first leg of a week-long trip to Europe and the Middle East. He visited the country to thank Poles for supporting the war to overthrow Iraq’s Saddam Hussein.
But these words of encouragement for Poland and Europe come after US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice reiterated complaints against France on Saturday.
In an interview with the daily French newspaper Le Monde, Ms. Rice said: ‘There were times that it appeared that American power was seen to be more dangerous than, perhaps, Saddam Hussein. I’ll just put it very bluntly. We simply didn’t understand it.’
Mr. Bush is in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he will meet President Vladimir Putin. On Sunday, he travels to Evian, France, for the G8 summit of world economic powers.
