Sarkozy, Merkel to meet Bush this week

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Two powerful European leaders will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush this week to discuss prominent security issues.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy Tuesday will use his first official trip to the United States to show that French-U.S. relations are improving after his predecessor Jacques Chirac sharply criticized the U.S.-led Iraq war. On Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- who has already succeeded in smoothening German-U.S. ties after a period of icy relations under her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder -- meets with Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, on Friday.

Dominating issues of both visits will be the conflict surrounding Iran's nuclear program, independence of Kosovo and security in Afghanistan.

Sarkozy’s visit at the White House is highly anticipated, as the French president has managed to really turn the tide in U.S.-French relations, despite continuing opposition in France toward U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

Sarkozy, who was elected president earlier this year, has considerably upped the rhetorical pressure on Iran’s regime to halt its nuclear program. Despite little support for the idea, Sarkozy proposed EU-mandated sanctions against Iran in case the United Nations failed to come up with harsher measures in the nuclear conflict.

Merkel, in office since late 2005, in her first months got U.S. diplomats excited about her arrival on the political stage, but minor differences have since managed to paint small specks of doubt in Washington. Berlin’s careful rhetoric toward independence of the Serbian province of Kosovo -- an independence Washington strongly supports -- has managed to irritate U.S. diplomats.

Yet the rare treat of an invitation to Bush’s country retreat (with overnight stay) demonstrates that between Berlin and Washington, a lot is still going rather smoothly.