<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3>Bush seeks to mend fences with EU
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"No passing disagreement" could split the US and Europe, said Bush
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->US President George W Bush has spent the first day of his European visit making strenuous efforts to heal divisions over the US-led war in Iraq.
In Brussels, he called for "a new era of transatlantic unity" - then dined with French President Jacques Chirac, who led opposition to the war.
Mr Bush urged greater EU support for Iraq, "the world's newest democracy".
During their working dinner, Mr Bush and Mr Chirac issued a united call for Syrian troops to pull out of Lebanon.
In a statement issued as the dinner was held, the two leaders condemned the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut, while stopping short of blaming Syria.
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</TD><TD class=sibtbg> Our greatest opportunity, and our immediate goal, is peace in the Middle East
George W Bush
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However, both men agreed that Damascus, which has 14,000 troops in Lebanon, should pull out of the country.
"We urge full and immediate implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1559 in all its aspects, " they said in a statement released by the White House.
This included, the statement emphasised, "its call for a sovereign, independent and democratic Lebanon as well as for the consolidation of security under the authority of a Lebanese government free from foreign domination,"
'New era'
In his speech earlier at Brussels' Concert Noble hall, Mr Bush urged European nations to give "tangible assistance" to Iraq.
"All nations now have an interest in the success of a free and democratic Iraq, which will fight terror, be a beacon of freedom and be a source of true stability in the region," he said.
He also placed much emphasis on the Middle East, saying both Europe and the US were determined to see two democratic states - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace.
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</TD><TD class=sibtbg>BUSH ITINERARY
Monday: Talks with Belgian leaders, then gives speech on transatlantic relations. Dinner with French President Jacques Chirac
Tuesday: Breakfast with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Meets Ukrainian and Italian leaders at Nato HQ, then meets EU leaders
Wednesday: Leaves Brussels for Germany. News conference with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Mainz, then meets US troops in Wiesbaden
Thursday: Gives speech in Slovak capital, Bratislava, meets Russian President Vladimir Putin
<!-- S ILIN -->Diary: Spring in his step
<!-- E ILIN --><!-- S ILIN -->At a glance: US/Europe divisions
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"Our greatest opportunity, and our immediate goal, is peace in the Middle East," he said.
"We seek peace between Israel and Palestine for its own sake. We also know that a free and peaceful Palestine can add to the momentum of reform throughout the broader Middle East."
Mr Bush went beyond his usual formula of calling for calling for a contiguous Palestinian state in the West Bank. "A state of scattered territories will not work," he declared.
The remark was a sign to Israel not to squeeze Palestinians into little parcels of land joined by narrow corridors, says the BBC's Paul Reynolds.
Mr Bush said that the friendship between the US and the continent was vital.
"No temporary debate, no passing disagreement of governments, no power on earth will ever divide us," he said.
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</TD><TD class=sibtbg><!-- S ILIN -->Bush speech in full (219kb)
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America supported European unity because it needed a strong partner in the hard work of advancing freedom and peace in the world, he added.
EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels gave a positive response to the US president's speech by approving a plan to train senior Iraqi police officers and judges in the EU and in countries near Iraq.
The EU also issued a communique backing US calls for "an international investigation without delay" into the killing of Hariri.
But it is widely agreed that divisions do remain. There are diverging opinions on Iran's nuclear programme, the EU plans to end the China arms embargo and the Kyoto treaty on global warming.
Security operation
A huge security operation has been put in place for Mr Bush's five-day trip, with some 2,500 Belgian police and 250 US secret agents deployed in Brussels.
Thousands of protesters are expected to stage rallies during Mr Bush's first foreign tour since his second term in office began in January.
Mr Bush will meet German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder - another critic of the Iraq war - in the German city of Mainz on Wednesday.
The US president will also hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, where he is expected to express concerns about a series of moves seen in the West as setbacks for Russian democracy.
<!-- E BO -->http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4285651.stm
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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><!-- S BO --><!-- S IIMA --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IIMA -->US President George W Bush has spent the first day of his European visit making strenuous efforts to heal divisions over the US-led war in Iraq.
In Brussels, he called for "a new era of transatlantic unity" - then dined with French President Jacques Chirac, who led opposition to the war.
Mr Bush urged greater EU support for Iraq, "the world's newest democracy".
During their working dinner, Mr Bush and Mr Chirac issued a united call for Syrian troops to pull out of Lebanon.
In a statement issued as the dinner was held, the two leaders condemned the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut, while stopping short of blaming Syria.
<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
George W Bush
http://javascript<b></b>:launchAVConsoleStory('4284549')
<!-- E ILIN -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->
However, both men agreed that Damascus, which has 14,000 troops in Lebanon, should pull out of the country.
"We urge full and immediate implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1559 in all its aspects, " they said in a statement released by the White House.
This included, the statement emphasised, "its call for a sovereign, independent and democratic Lebanon as well as for the consolidation of security under the authority of a Lebanese government free from foreign domination,"
'New era'
In his speech earlier at Brussels' Concert Noble hall, Mr Bush urged European nations to give "tangible assistance" to Iraq.
"All nations now have an interest in the success of a free and democratic Iraq, which will fight terror, be a beacon of freedom and be a source of true stability in the region," he said.
He also placed much emphasis on the Middle East, saying both Europe and the US were determined to see two democratic states - Israel and Palestine - living side by side in peace.
<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
Monday: Talks with Belgian leaders, then gives speech on transatlantic relations. Dinner with French President Jacques Chirac
Tuesday: Breakfast with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Meets Ukrainian and Italian leaders at Nato HQ, then meets EU leaders
Wednesday: Leaves Brussels for Germany. News conference with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Mainz, then meets US troops in Wiesbaden
Thursday: Gives speech in Slovak capital, Bratislava, meets Russian President Vladimir Putin
<!-- S ILIN -->Diary: Spring in his step
<!-- E ILIN --><!-- S ILIN -->At a glance: US/Europe divisions
<!-- E ILIN -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->
"Our greatest opportunity, and our immediate goal, is peace in the Middle East," he said.
"We seek peace between Israel and Palestine for its own sake. We also know that a free and peaceful Palestine can add to the momentum of reform throughout the broader Middle East."
Mr Bush went beyond his usual formula of calling for calling for a contiguous Palestinian state in the West Bank. "A state of scattered territories will not work," he declared.
The remark was a sign to Israel not to squeeze Palestinians into little parcels of land joined by narrow corridors, says the BBC's Paul Reynolds.
Mr Bush said that the friendship between the US and the continent was vital.
"No temporary debate, no passing disagreement of governments, no power on earth will ever divide us," he said.
<!-- S IBOX --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
<!-- E ILIN -->
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<!-- S IINC -->Download and install the reader here
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- E IBOX -->
America supported European unity because it needed a strong partner in the hard work of advancing freedom and peace in the world, he added.
EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels gave a positive response to the US president's speech by approving a plan to train senior Iraqi police officers and judges in the EU and in countries near Iraq.
The EU also issued a communique backing US calls for "an international investigation without delay" into the killing of Hariri.
But it is widely agreed that divisions do remain. There are diverging opinions on Iran's nuclear programme, the EU plans to end the China arms embargo and the Kyoto treaty on global warming.
Security operation
A huge security operation has been put in place for Mr Bush's five-day trip, with some 2,500 Belgian police and 250 US secret agents deployed in Brussels.
Thousands of protesters are expected to stage rallies during Mr Bush's first foreign tour since his second term in office began in January.
Mr Bush will meet German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder - another critic of the Iraq war - in the German city of Mainz on Wednesday.
The US president will also hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, where he is expected to express concerns about a series of moves seen in the West as setbacks for Russian democracy.
<!-- E BO -->http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4285651.stm
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