US President George W. Bush, who raised eyebrows with an impromptu neck massage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel last year, promised today not to repeat it. "No back rubs," he told her with a smile at the end of a joint news conference after White House talks. The German chancellor smiled sheepishly in response. Ms Merkel had raised her shoulders in surprise last July at a Group of Eight summit in St Petersburg when Mr Bush, in a gesture of friendliness, approached her from behind and put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.