WP:Bush's Unpopularity in Europe Hangs Over Summit [View All]

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President Bush arrived here Tuesday for his 15th visit to Europe since taking office, at a time when the populace remains generally wary of him despite concerted efforts by political leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to patch up their differences.

In meetings here Wednesday, Bush and European Union officials are to confer on issues including trade, energy security and their mutual efforts to persuade Iran to halt activities that could lead to the development of nuclear weapons.



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Since his reelection in 2004, Bush and his advisers have tried to rebuild relations with Europe -- deferring to Britain, France and Germany, for example, in handling the diplomatic initiative toward Iran. The White House has been aided by the defeat of Gerhard Schroeder in his bid to remain German chancellor and the weakening influence of French President Jacques Chirac; both had made opposition to the U.S. war effort in Iraq a centerpiece of their administrations


But if relations at the political level have improved, public opinion has lagged far behind. Bush remains unpopular with the public in many European countries over the war in Iraq and alleged abuse of detainees by U.S. forces at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and other facilities, according to opinion polls and experts on transatlantic relations. A survey released last week by the Pew Research Center found that the United States' image has slipped over the past year in France, Germany and Spain and is down considerably since 2000.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/20/AR2006062000858.html