US President George W. Bush, visiting Europe for the last time before his presidency ends, expressed regret yesterday about divisions caused by the Iraq war.
On his European trip, seven months before he steps down, Bush is expected to discuss issues ranging from Iran’s nuclear program to high oil prices and climate change. He met German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday before heading to Rome, Paris, London and Belfast.
Bush remains unpopular in western Europe more than five years after he clashed with former German leader Gerhard Schroeder, France, Russia and other countries over the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Schroeder’s successor Merkel has worked hard to repair ties between the Cold War allies and has formed a close relationship with Bush, who appears keen to emphasize diplomacy over military might on his European trip.
“I think that in retrospect I could have used a different tone, a different rhetoric,” Bush said in yesterday’s edition of the Times of London, referring to the US-led invasion of Iraq.
He acknowledged that phrases like “bring them on” and “dead or alive” had given the impression he was “not a man of peace.”
Bush started his European tour at a US-EU summit in Kranj, Slovenia, where he stressed the need to build up international pressure on Iran, but stopped short of his usual warning that all options are on the table in dealing with Tehran and its nuclear enrichment program.
Global warming, Afghanistan and relations with Russia were also expected topics at Bush’s meeting with Merkel at Schloss Meseberg, an elegant guest house of the German government about 80km north of Berlin.
Before they agree to implement stiffer sanctions against Iran, Europeans want to see what happens when the EU’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, visits Iran within days and offers a package of incentives in exchange for stopping its enrichment program.
The offer, an updated version of one that Iran ignored a few years ago, was developed by the US, along with Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China.
After the summit in Kranj, the leaders issued a joint declaration that said the US and Europe “are ready to supplement those [previous] sanctions with additional measures” if Iran does not halt enrichment.
The statement also said they would “work together ... to take steps to ensure Iranian banks cannot abuse the international banking system to support proliferation and terrorism.”
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