US President George W. Bush dismissed the rift with Europe over Iraq as a "passing disagreement of governments" yesterday and urged greater trans-Atlantic cooperation, including more support for the fledgling Iraqi government.
"Now is the time for the established democracies to give tangible political, economic and security assistance to the world's newest democracy," Bush said in a speech intended for both European and US consumption.
Bush began a five-day European trip in Brussels, home to both the EU and NATO.
He also planned to dine privately here with French President Jacques Chirac, one of his most outspoken critics on the Iraq War.
Despite his appeal to bury past differences, divisions remain over postwar Iraq, how to confront Iran's nuclear ambitions, a European proposal to end a 15-year arms embargo with China and a treaty on global warming spurned by Washington.
Aides conceded that much work needed to be done. But the president's words were clearly conciliatory. And his advisers said it was hoped they would lead to greater, and cooler, dialogue.
"As past debates fade, and great duties become clear, let us begin a new era of transatlantic unity," Bush said in a prepared speech. Excerpts were released before delivery.
"No temporary debate, no passing disagreement of governments, no power on earth will ever divide us," he said.
Bush attends meetings of both the EU and NATO today, visits Germany tomorrow and on Thursday goes to Slovakia, where he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Our greatest opportunity, and our immediate goal, is peace in the Middle East," Bush said.
However, many challenges remain. Washington strongly opposes Europe's plans to lift the arms embargo against China. EU Commissioner Peter Mandelson made a plea yesterday for the EU to lift the "anachronistic" arms embargo on authoritarian China, despite opposition from the US.
Speaking on BBC radio, the commissioner for trade and industry said: "I think Europe should do it. And I think the [US] administration would be wrong to pick a fight with Europe over this, which it can't actually win."
Also see story:
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
‘WIN-WIN’: The Philippines, and central and eastern European countries are important potential drone cooperation partners, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung said Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in an interview published yesterday confirmed that there are joint ventures between Taiwan and Poland in the drone industry. Lin made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper). The government-backed Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance and the Polish Chamber of Unmanned Systems on Wednesday last week signed a memorandum of understanding in Poland to develop a “non-China” supply chain for drones and work together on key technologies. Asked if Taiwan prioritized Poland among central and eastern European countries in drone collaboration, Lin
NO CONFIDENCE MOTION? The premier said that being toppled by the legislature for defending the Constitution would be a democratic badge of honor for him Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday announced that the Cabinet would not countersign the amendments to the local revenue-sharing law passed by the Legislative Yuan last month. Cho said the decision not to countersign the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法) was made in accordance with the Constitution. “The decision aims to safeguard our Constitution,” he said. The Constitution stipulates the president shall, in accordance with law, promulgate laws and issue mandates with the countersignature of the head of the Executive Yuan, or with the countersignatures of both the head of the Executive Yuan and ministers or
BACK TO WORK? Prosecutors said they are considering filing an appeal, while the Hsinchu City Government said it has applied for Ann Kao’s reinstatement as mayor The High Court yesterday found suspended Hsinchu mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) not guilty of embezzling assistant fees, reducing her sentence to six months in prison commutable to a fine from seven years and four months. The verdict acquitted Kao of the corruption charge, but found her guilty of causing a public official to commit document forgery. The High Prosecutors’ Office said it is reviewing the ruling and considering whether to file an appeal. The Taipei District Court in July last year sentenced Kao to seven years and four months in prison, along with a four-year deprivation of civil rights, for contravening the Anti-Corruption
RSS