'Nice words are nice, but...'

2005-02-19 14:12

Washington - United States President George W Bush said on Friday he was not "bitter" about France's opposition to the Iraq war, and expressed hope that his fence-mending trip to Europe next week will promote joint action on key issues.

"Obviously, nice words are nice, but deeds are more important than words. I, personally, don't feel bitter," Bush said in a roundtable interview with reporters ahead of his fence-mending trip to Europe next week.

Asked whether the trip would definitively banish any lingering tensions over the war in Iraq, Bush acknowledged Paris' leadership of global opposition to the March 2003 invasion as "a big difference of opinion."

"But now is the time for us to set aside that difference and to move forward in areas where we can work together," on issues like Iran's nuclear programmes, the Middle East peace process, and ending Syria's presence in Lebanon, he said.

Even with relations sorely tested by the war in Iraq, Paris and Washington cooperated on the crisis in Haiti and the situation in Afghanistan, Bush said.

"Much of the world views relations through the prism of the Iraq decision, overlooking areas of co-operation," like the war on terrorism, said Bush, who praised French intelligence services.

He also downplayed the angry response, among some Americans, to France's opposition to the war in Iraq, which included boycotts, renaming French fries "freedom fries" and public charges that France had ceased to be a US ally.

"France is a great country and a lot of people in our country, obviously, were concerned about the French decision about Iraq, they felt our security was threatened," he said.

"Nevertheless, there's great affection for the French culture, the French countryside and the French people," said Bush, who hosts a peacemaking dinner for French President Jacques Chirac in Brussels on Monday. - AFP

- SAPA