Speaking of trips, look who's planning to visit the old sods:Bush Promises Europe Trip to Heal Divide
12-Nov-2004 Story from AP / JENNIFER LOVEN
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush said Friday he'll carry a message of shared values and goals to Europe during a trip planned after his inauguration, reaching out to those dismayed by the Iraq war and what they see as a go-it-alone foreign policy.
"In my second term, I will work to deepen our trans-Atlantic ties with the nations of Europe," Bush said during a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House. "We must apply the combined strength and moral purpose of Europe and America to effectively fight terror and to overcome poverty and disease and despair, to advance human dignity and to advance freedom."
Bush said the trip would take place "as soon as possible" in 2005. Later, a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was likely to come in February and that a stop in Brussels for meetings at either the European Union or NATO or both was also likely.
The idea for the trip came about just in the past few days and was cemented after Bush's Wednesday meeting with NATO secretary-general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the official said. Bush decided to announce it now, even without final decisions on dates or destinations, to underscore an "intense period of outreach," the official said.
Talk of a trans-Atlantic rift has persisted long after the debate over the Iraq war in the United Nations.
Relations with Germany have improved and U.S. ties with Central and Eastern European countries are generally warm. But the perception that relations overall remain sour is fueled by Bush's low popularity levels in Europe, France's continued skepticism of U.S. power, and the election of a socialist government in Spain earlier this year that led to a pullout of the country's 1,300 troops in Iraq.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has even had a difficult time getting a call through to Bush to congratulate him on his re-election.
Even so, the administration has sent several signals in recent days designed to heal the divisions.
Within 10 days of Election Day, Bush has met publicly with two foreign visitors, both from Europe: the NATO leader and Blair on Friday.
Secretary of State Colin Powell also announced an ambitious round of fence-mending meetings during European travel scheduled for early next month.
And alongside Blair, Bush spoke of support for giving more help to Palestinians -- a position desired by many European leaders.
"We'll mobilize the international community to help revive the Palestinian economy, to build up the Palestinian security institutions to fight terror, to help the Palestinian government fight corruption, and to reform the Palestinian political system and build democratic institutions," Bush said.
As for his Europe trip, Bush said the goal would be "to remind people that the world is better off -- America's better off, Europe is better off -- when we work together."
Blair heartily endorsed Bush's view: "I think there is a tremendous desire and willingness on the part of certainly our partners in the European Union to make sure that that alliance is strong," he said.
Still, gestures of cooperation only go so far, as Bush hasn't signaled there is reason for allies to expect any major changes in the direction of his foreign policy. |
