World | USA
Bush heads to Europe for farewell tour
US President George W Bush heads to Europe for his farewell tour this week, in a last ditch attempt to push his agenda before he leaves the White House.
- AP
- Published: 11:03 June 9, 2008
- Image Credit: Reuters
- A protester dressed as a convict stands next to a peace flag outside Regina Coeli prison during a protest against US President George W. Bush’s upcoming visit to Rome on Monday.
Washington: United States President George W Bush heads to Europe for his farewell tour this week, in a last ditch attempt to push his agenda before he leaves the White House.
The US president continues to promote his agenda on issues like climate change, peace in the Middle East and world trade, yet his influence in Europe has ebbed.
The trip will begin with a US-EU summit in Slovenia followed by visits to Paris, Rome, Berlin and London.
In Berlin, Bush will mark the 60th anniversary of the Marshall Plan that helped Europe get on its feet after World War II and the Berlin Airlift that kept the Soviet bloc at bay.
It's likely the final European tour of his term, and a key goal is rallying the allies to get Iran to halt its nuclear program.
Bush's weeklong farewell trip is not his final goodbye to his European counterparts. He sees them again at a summit meeting next month in Japan.
Yet as he completes the final leg of his presidency, the trip to Central and Western Europe is one of Bush's last chances to lay the groundwork for US-European relations for his successor.
Bush will ask for Europe's help in Afghanistan and push for stronger penalties against Iran to discourage Tehran from developing its nuclear program. European leaders will nudge Bush forward on a blueprint for global warming.
Talks also will touch on humanitarian aid, the world food crisis, Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, Lebanon and economic integration of both sides of the Atlantic.
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