Schroeder and Bush agree to make up over Iraq

GERMAN Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder agreed yesterday to set aside differences with US President George W Bush over Iraq but gave no indication he would contribute peacekeeping troops or retract his support for France’s call for a quick end to the US occupation.

Mr Schroeder described his conversation with Mr Bush as “open-minded” and “trustful,” but said he did not feel under” time pressure” from a proposed US resolution in the UN Security Council designed to draw in troops and financial support for reconstruction.

Mr Bush faced an uphill task in his drive for an unhurried transition to rule by Iraqis as the difficult reconstruction of postwar Iraq reopened the divide