Posted on 05/30/2003 6:18:51 PM PDT by blam
Bush pays lip service to rapprochement
American president not ready to forgive and forget Franco-German opposition to war, but sends warmer signals to Russians
Julian Borger in Washington and Jon Henley
Saturday May 31, 2003
The Guardian (UK)
George Bush flew to Europe yesterday for the first time since the Iraq war saying he was willing to "move forward" from the bitter transatlantic disagreements over the invasion, but he also made it clear he was not ready to forgive European opponents of the conflict. His time on the week-long, six-country tour of Europe and the Middle East has been parcelled out to reward friends and snub diplomatic adversaries. Centre stage will be given to Poland, which supported the war and is now trying to organise an international stabilisation force for Iraq.
Mr Bush will deliver his keynote speech on transatlantic relations in Warsaw today. US diplomats say the symbolism is intentional - an endorsement of the "new Europe" at the expense of the "old".
By contrast, the president's stay in France at the G8 summit has been cut from two days to one, to allow him to spend more time in the Middle East talking to Arab and Israeli leaders. There will be a cursory half-hour meeting in Evian with the host, President Jacques Chirac, but none with the German leader, Gerhard Schröder.
In a series of interviews before the trip Mr Bush betrayed lingering testiness towards France, which Washington sees as the ringleader of a campaign to block a UN mandate for the Iraq war.
He told Le Figaro that the American people had been "disappointed and frustrated by France's attitude on Iraq".
The president said he was "looking forward to having a good discussion with Jacques Chirac. I will obviously need to work on convincing those French who doubt the Americans' sincerity. But Jacques Chirac ... will have to work to convince his own citizens and show that France is ready to cooperate with the United States".
However, on French television he said he was willing to move forward from past disagreements to "work together to solve some really big problems", including assistance for Africa and the fight against HIV/Aids.
He concluded the interview with his first recorded foray into the French language. "Vive la France!" he said, with a smirk.
White House officials have made it clear that it is up to the Europeans, not the president, to make amends for the rift over Iraq.
"The president understands honest policy disagreements. No one understands if things take on an anti-American tinge," Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser told journalists. "Let's be realistic. It isn't the power of the United States that needs to be 'checked'. It's the power of the United States that needs to work cooperatively with others who share the same values to achieve common goals."
Tony Blair, who arrived in St Petersburg last night, appealed to both sides to resolve their feud. Proclaiming the US Europe's "partner and ally", Mr Blair warned it was "a moment for reconciliation or for drifting apart".
Among the three European leaders who led the resistance to the war in the security council, only Russia's Vladimir Putin is being offered a significant slice of Mr Bush's time, as the White House sees his cooperation as essential in dealing with Iran.
Mr Bush will celebrate St Petersburg's 300th birthday with Mr Putin tonight and then spend much of tomorrow morning in face-to-face talks.
The transatlantic chill is also apparent in the muted response to US and British attempts to gather a multinational stabilisation force in Iraq. About two dozen countries have said they are willing to cooperate but are ready to send only token numbers. Denmark for example was asked for 5,000 troops and is reportedly deploying only 380.
Mr Chirac is keen to ensure his meeting with Mr Bush sets the stage for reconciliation. He will need America's help if the Evian summit is to succeed in its aims of boosting the world economy, breaking the deadlock in global trade talks and offering concrete help to Africa.
The French president is eager to portray himself as the world leader who best understands the concerns of the anti-globalisation movement. He has stressed that he wants to see issues such as water, debt relief, the environment and access for the developing world to western medicines at the top of the G8 agenda.
Ya' stole my post before I could even type it on my keyboard. ;o)
That's the Texan way of saying kiss my grits.
I think Bush should recall our ambassador to France for "Consultations". He should also send half of their diplomats in DC home.
That ought to get their panties in bunch!
SCREW the FRENCH
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