EU greets Bush, hope for improved ties

European Union leaders offered to forge closer ties with the United States after the re-election of President George W. Bush.

European Union leaders on Friday offered to forge closer ties with the United States after the re-election of President George W. Bush.

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In a draft statement, leaders for the 25 EU countries said "our deep political, economic and cultural ties make us each other's natural and indispensable partners."

Even President Jacques Chirac, the most vocal opponent of the US-led war in Iraq, sounded a conciliatory note on the last day of a two-day EU summit.

"The areas of agreement are infinitely bigger than the areas of disagreement," Chirac told reporters. He said he extended his "most cordial congratulations" to Bush for his election victory. British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters EU leaders had to face up to the reality of Bush's re-election and "move on." He added it was "important that we work with the Americans ... to bring stability to Iraq. To have Iraq turn from a repressive, failing state under Saddam Hussein to a democracy will have a huge impact in the Middle East."

In an interview with the London Times, he said that some governments might find it hard to accept four more years with Bush. "In a way some people are in a sort of state of denial. In the second term the president has space and energy to develop an agenda that can unify Europe and America. I hope we start to get a sensible debate about why people in America feel as they do," he said. Germany, which opposed the war in Iraq, also joined in congratulating Bush on his re-election and expressing hopes for close cooperation.

But the leaders were expected to warn Bush to spend more time on consulting international allies during his second term. Criticism that Bush too often relied on a go-it-alone approach during his first four years in office had hurt the trans-Atlantic relationship. The draft statement said the two sides needed "to combine efforts, including in multilateral institutions, to promote the rule of law and create a just, democratic and secure world." Officials said few, if any, changes were expected to be made to the draft conclusion on relations with the United States. Blair insisted it was time to heal the trans-Atlantic rift. "There was a real sense that in the second term the president has space and energy to develop an agenda that I hope can unify Europe and America. That means reaching out on both sides," he told the Times.