WASHINGTON — President Bush and French leader Nicolas Sarkozy pledged Wednesday to work past their nations' recent animosity and toward a more peaceful Iraq, Iran and Pakistan.
"I have a partner in peace," Bush said after meetings with the French president at the Mount Vernon estate of founding father George Washington.
Sarkozy, who hours earlier had addressed a joint session of Congress, told Bush, "When I say that the French people love the American people, that is the truth and nothing but the truth."
In opening remarks, neither president mentioned the Iraq war or other disputes Bush had with Sarkozy's predecessor, Jacques Chirac. When asked about Iraq, Bush told a French reporter, "We had a difference of opinion with your great country." He thanked Sarkozy for sending his foreign minister to Baghdad to consult with Iraq's democratic government.
"What does France want? A united Iraq," Sarkozy said.
The U.S. and French leaders also presented a united front on denying Iran the means to make nuclear weapons, though Sarkozy spoke in terms of negotiations and sanctions rather than military force.
For his part, Bush rejected the notion that his tough talk toward Iran is helping drive up the price of oil, calling that an issue of supply and demand.
Sarkozy said France plans to remain engaged in Afghanistan for as long as it takes to bring stability to the country. Bush praised Sarkozy's government for talking to Syria about not interfering in Lebanon's upcoming elections.
The two presidents chose a symbolic meeting spot in Mount Vernon. Throughout his two-day visit, Sarkozy cited the legacy of the Marquis de Lafayette, who fought with Washington during the American Revolution.
Speaking before Congress, the first-year French president said, "We may have differences," but the United States and France have always stood together.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004001185_watch08.html
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