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GEORGE W. BUSH’S EUROPEAN VISIT
APR 7, 2005 - 7:43PM PST
by Molly Claflin

CPD Media Monitor Report by Molly Claflin and Gordon Douglas Following U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Europe, President George W. Bush departed on a European tour of his own. Equipped with a message of peace and reconciliation, President Bush set off to mend U.S.-European relations and to cultivate an atmosphere of cooperation. After a rocky first term isolated the United States from Europe due to its endeavor to bring democracy to Iraq, President Bush saw his second term as an opening to re-establish the friendship with America’s long-time allies. As a sign of how critical the European alliance and support is to America, President Bush kicked off his tour in Brussels, which is home to the European Union as well as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. From Brussels, President Bush traveled to Germany and Slovakia, meeting with key European leaders including German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Europeans were surprised at the change in President Bush’s attitude from a “go-it-alone” unilateralism to a more receptive multilateral approach. Furthermore, President Bush’s efforts to repair relations were demonstrated in his decision to focus on issues important to the European Union, as well as America. Topics that dominated President Bush’s agenda with Europeans included discussions concerning the Israeli-Palestinian situation and Iran’s nuclear program. The international press has characterized President Bush’s European tour as an overall success that, for the most part, effectively healed previously strained relations between the United States and Europe. Newspapers such as The Times of London hailed Bush as the new Ronald Reagan, who decades before was also on a mission to spread freedom and democracy. Despite the increased cooperation, periodicals including Asia Times and El Pais emphasized the reality that profound differences remain between American and European interests. This was highlighted by the debate sparked by European arms sales to China and security challenges in the Middle East. By encouraging a relationship marked by collaboration and mutual regard, President Bush not only hoped to move America out of its previous position of budding antagonism, but also to improve international perceptions of the United States. The following is an aggregation of international and United States news and analysis about President George W. Bush’s recent visit to Europe, the first in his second term. Bush’s visit followed closely after that of U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice’s diplomatic mission to Europe a few weeks earlier. Bush traveled to Bratislava (Slovakia), Brussels (Belgium) and Mainz (Germany) in the hopes of rejuvenating European friendships. News analysis suggests Bush was well received in Europe, though he left many Europeans wondering about the veracity of his diplomatic gestures. Early Report: Bush In Europe, Foreign Media Reaction (U.S. Department of State, February 23, 2005) European nations seem receptive to President Bush’s statements abroad. Many Europeans are still concerned, however, that the US may still have an interest in “form[ing] the world according to U.S. interests.” According to the State Department, Britain seemed most concerned with how Bush would deal with…... FULL TEXT

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