Posted on 12/15/2004 11:17:49 AM PST by an italian
US President George W. Bush was expected to hear European worries about the weak dollar as he welcomed Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for talks also set to focus on violence in Iraq.
Bush and Berlusconi, who staunchly backed the US-led March 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein,were to meet in the Oval office around 11:25 am (1625 GMT) and hold a brief joint public appearance afterwards.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan praised Rome's "important contributions" to building democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq and said the two leaders would discuss "how we can continue to move forward together.
Bush also hoped to discuss how to improve transAtlantic relations strained by the war in Iraq -- a goal he has publicly made a priority of the second four-year term he won in November 2 US elections.
The US president, who will pursue that aim during a trip to Europe in February, "intends to continue reaching out to our European friends on ways we can work together to address common challenges," said McClellan.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier of France -- which saw relations with the United States sour when it opposed the war in Iraq -- was to meet separately with outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell and national security adviser Condoleezza Ricewhom Bush has chosen to succeed him.
The US president said in a December 1 speech in Canada that he would try to repair transAtlantic ties, while serving notice that it would be mostly on Washington's terms.
But Bush was expected to hear from Berlusconi that Europe has deep concerns about the weakness of the dollar and that a stronger US currency is needed to safeguard US-EU trade ties.
"The dollar must not be too weakened compared to the euro because that creates the risk of damaging trade relations between the two sides," Berlusconi said recently.
"We need a shift in the direction of the (European) Central Bank's policy to change the relationship between the euro and the dollar," Berlusconi told a meeting of his ruling party last weekend.
The White House has repeatedly insisted that Bush favors a "strong dollar policy" even as the US currency slid to record lows against the euro, and on Wednesday McClellan offered no new solutions to its weakness.
Bush and Berlusconi were expected to discuss security and elections set for January in Iraq, where Italy currently has a 3,000-strong military contingent deployed as part of coalition forces.
Other topics were expected to include the US leader's stated goal of overhauling international institutions, including the United Nations.
Italy fears being relegated to second-class status within the European Union if Germany is ever given a seat as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
The current permanent members include two other EU countries, France and Britain.
Instead, the Italians would prefer the entire European Union as a bloc to given a permanent Security Council seat.
Italian TV said Mr Bush called Berlusconi a great friend, a man that keeps his word. Berlusconi answerd he's a proud friend of America. That was a great meeting!
Viva Italia! :)
A true ally...
Then Italy should break ties with the USERs, join Great Britain as an independent European nation and join sides with us in every way. We won't treat them as second class. God bless Italy, the USA and all our TRUE allies!
Italy is one of the very few European countries that I'd like to see before I take the eternal celestial dirt nap.
Si! Grazie, Italia!
LOL!
Grande Silvio!!!!
Many of you seemed upset and angry yesterday and posted remarks at ... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1301216/posts>
What say you?
Don't give me credit for that "dirt nap" thing. That's a Boortzian phrase I like to use now.
Ok, noted, but I'm giving you credit. I read it on your post... LOL. Thanks for the chuckle.
Well, hey this is great. But this was a meeting between two heads of state. Last time I checked, we still had diplomatic relations with Italy. :)
I still don't know the full story with Buttiglione, so now I am prodded to find out if his visit was scheduled or not. That would make a big difference. I still think highly of his stance, however, and I doubt that will change either way.
Thanks for the heads up.
and her...who you'd want to meet anytime:
What a country.
Viva Italia!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Thanks for the ping...
maybe W saw our posts yesterday. LOL
Molto Buono! Bravo Berlusconi, Bravo Bella Italia!
A belated welcome to FR.
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