President George Bush, on a visit to Europe, today hailed transatlantic ties and said Middle East peace was an immediate goal.

President George Bush dismissed the rift with Europe over Iraq as a “passing disagreement of governments” today and urged greater transatlantic cooperation, including more support for the fledgling Iraqi government.

US President George Bush sought to repair rocky relations with Europe yesterday, saying “no power on earth will ever divide us”. He urged allies to move beyond differences over Iraq in the interest of peace in the Middle East.

The Green Party has launched its campaign against US President George W Bush’s visit to Ireland later this month.

US President George Bush tonight sought to move beyond bitter differences with France, but President Jacques Chirac said Iraq remains “extremely precarious” and he again questioned America’s justification for the war.

US president George Bush was heading to Paris today for talks with one of his strongest war critics, President Jacques Chirac, a day after Pope John Paul spelled out his opposition in no uncertain terms.

A frail Pope turned on the world’s most powerful man today, telling President George Bush that he has been troubled by recent ”deplorable events”, an apparent reference to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US troops.

Thousands of police today patrolled the streets of Rome as George Bush begins the first leg of a three-day European trip.

US president George Bush, facing tough talks with America’s allies, has said it would be disastrous if they pulled their troops out of Iraq.