Bush says Europeans agree with US on Iran nuke plans

DPA: US President George Bush focused his European tour
on Thursday on new NATO member Slovakia, saying that Washington’s allies, including Germany, agreed with the White House’s stance on Iran. At a news conference after talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, Bush said his current European tour was partly aimed at discerning whether European allies “view the Iranian problem the same way” as the Americans. DPA

BRATISLAVA – US President George Bush focused his European tour on Thursday on new NATO member Slovakia, saying that Washington’s allies, including Germany, agreed with the White House’s stance on Iran.

At a news conference after talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, Bush said his current European tour was partly aimed at discerning whether European allies “view the Iranian problem the same way” as the Americans.

“They do,” Bush said.

Bush said he had learned that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder “and others” think Iran “should not have a nuclear weapon.”

“Hopefully we’ll be able to reach a diplomatic

solution” with Iran, Bush said, adding that diplomacy can work “if we’re on the same page.”

Bush arrived in Bratislava Wednesday night after a day in Germany where he met Schroeder and visited troops at a US military base. Later Thursday he was due to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.