Bush 'set to ignore rift with Europe a bit longer'

[emad]

The Times
From Roland Watson in Washington

PRESIDENT BUSH intends to forge a strong second-term relationship with Europe, according to Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State. But he added that Mr Bush would continue to push an aggressive foreign policy and would act unilaterally where he thought fit.

He made clear that healing the transatlantic rift, widened by the Iraq war, came a long way down Washington’s order of priorities. “The President is not going to trim his sails or pull back,” General Powell said. “It’s a continuation of his principles, his policies, his beliefs.”

European capitals at loggerheads with the United States during Mr Bush’s first term have used his re-election to issue public calls for increased transatlantic co-operation.

Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, used a congratulatory telephone call to Mr Bush to pave the way for smoother relations. Herr Schröder said that he and Mr Bush had agreed to look forward, and that US-German relations were “fully intact”.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1351809,00.html