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news
worldnews
northamerica
usa
1463602
-----
# Bush back to face his European critics
![][1]
Security is tightened near the Vatican in preparation for President Bush's
visit
12:05AM BST 04 Jun 2004
The brevity of President George W Bush's latest European jaunt, which was due
to begin early today, should save him from the jet-lag that discombobulated
him the last time he came to Paris.
In 2002, at the end of a long swing through Europe, he[ arrived at the Elysee
palace visibly tired][2], called President Jacques Chirac "Jack", and mocked a
member of the White House press corps who attempted the courtesy of asking
their host a question in French. The performance left the French stunned by Mr
Bush's resemblance to his Texan cowboy caricature.
His goal now - in three days - is to overcome differences on a new United
Nations resolution endorsing Iraq's caretaker cabinet while marking the 60th
anniversary of D-Day.
He is due to meet the Pope today, and to dine with Silvio Berlusconi, the
Italian premier, before going to Paris. There, he will have dinner with M
Chirac tomorrow before Sunday's D-Day ceremonies in Normandy, and then back to
Washington.
## Related Articles
* [French leader criticises Bush][3]
27 May 2002
* [D-Day pilots face battle][4]
31 May 2004
Rome's carabinieri are braced for a huge anti-war protest. But no police will
be there to guard the American leader when he meets the Pope who, according to
a Vatican aide, has "one or two things to say to him" about war and peace. Mr
Bush is, none the less, to award the Pope the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the highest US civilian award, for his long years of service.
France's anti-war lobby is divided over protesting about Iraq during the D-Day
anniversary. A rally has been called for tomorrow evening at the Bastille, but
the organisers are not expecting a mass turnout.
The opposition Socialists have called on people not to protest out of respect
for the D-Day tribute. Pierre Moscovici, the party's foreign affairs
spokesman, said Mr Bush's visit should not be used as an excuse for "anti-
Americanism". He said: "We have shared values and a long friendship with the
United States. We should absolutely not think that Bush and America are one
and the same."
However, the Communist League said Mr Bush should not have been invited to the
D-Day ceremonies.
Franco-US relations are still overshadowed by the bitter disagreement over the
Iraq invasion. Few in the Paris administration can conceal their hope that the
Francophile John Kerry brings the Bush presidency to an end.
No one has forgotten Mr Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice's
terse summary of America's policy to the European opponents of the Iraq war:
"Forgive Russia, ignore Germany, punish France." And the dismissal of the
French as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" - by Willie, a character on the
Simpsons cartoon show - has also left its wounds.
All the same, a PR effort is being put into Mr Bush's visit. In a French
television interview, Laura Bush said of her husband's relationship with M
Chirac: "I am sure Jacques Chirac appreciates people like him who say what
they think."
Mr Bush, asked by Paris Match if he would be inviting M Chirac to his Texas
ranch - an invitation given only to America's closest allies - he said: "If he
wants to come and look at cows, he is welcome to come and look at cows."
Hardly an invitation to get M Chirac packing his camera, but better than the
silence that persisted between the two men for several months last year.
At a press conference this week, M Chirac said he had "never been angry" with
America, despite the divergence of views.
However, there is some unease that Mr Bush might use his D-Day speech to make
comparisons between 1944 and Iraq. Yesterday, the defence minister, Michele
Alliot-Marie, said: "Parallels are always difficult, even dangerous, when we
are in extremely different circumstances."
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* ### [M. Bush commence sa visite en Europe par une rencontre avec Jean Paul
II [3 Jun '04] - Le Monde ][14]
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