Chicago Tribune - June 11, 2004
William Neikirk and Dahleen Glanton, Tribune correspondents

Closing the Group of Eight summit, the president said it's an "unrealistic expectation" that allies such as France and Germany would agree to putting NATO troops in Iraq.

Bush's comments at a news conference in Savannah indicated that France and Germany, while opposing the deployment of NATO combat troops, would not object to the training of Iraqi military forces. He said the controversy over the alliance's role in Iraq would be resolved before a NATO summit in Istanbul later this month.

Asked whether American faces would dominate Iraqi security for some time to come, Bush responded, "No, it doesn't appear that way. There will be an Iraqi face on the security of Iraq. The Iraqis will secure their own country, and we're there to help them do so."

The situation in Iraq dominated the three-day summit, which brought the heads of state from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Russia and Japan to remote Sea Island, Ga., in the humid South to talk about subjects as diverse as developing a vaccine for the AIDS virus and controlling weapons of mass destruction.

Meanwhile, Bush said he is looking into a report that two intelligence chiefs for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi last year had ordered the assassination of Saudi Arabia's ruler, Crown Prince Abdullah, while Gadhafi was renouncing terrorism and negotiating an end to sanctions against his country.

"We're going to make sure we fully understand the veracity of the plot line," Bush said. "When we find out the facts, we will deal with them accordingly."

He said he hasn't talked to Gadhafi about the report, first published by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, but had sent him a message that "we will make sure he honors his commitment" to resist terrorism and dismantle his nuclear weapons program before any sanctions are lifted.

On another issue, Bush said he did not remember seeing a Justice Department advisory opinion last year saying he had the power to authorize any interrogation techniques he deemed necessary to fight terrorism.

But, he said, he gave instructions that "anything that we did would conform to U.S. law and would be consistent to international treaty obligations. That's the message I gave our people."

Bush also defended his plan for bringing democracy to the Middle East, despite some criticism at the summit that it was heavy-handed and aimed chiefly at promoting U.S. values.

"There was some concern when the initiative was first proposed that this was America trying to make the world look like America," he said. "It's not going to happen. I fully understand that free society in the Middle East is going to reflect the culture and traditions of the people in that country, not America."

Though Bush had his differences with French President Jacques Chirac, the United States and Europe appeared to draw closer during the summit after divisions over the Iraqi war last year.

'Those belong to the past'

"There were very sharp disagreements in 2003," a senior administration official said. "Those belong to the past, and historians will have a great time writing about them."

Bush got a boost this week when the UN Security Council approved a resolution providing for a turnover of power and elections in Iraq but could not get France and Germany to budge over providing troops.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder would not commit forces to Iraq but said he would not stand in the way of a wider NATO role. Chirac ruled out NATO participation unless the new Iraqi government asked.

But the White House did not give up on Chirac, indicating that after another meeting between Bush and the French leader Friday, Chirac may be willing to bend on the NATO question.

"What we did not hear is a firm red line of 'No's,'" the official said. "I think it's clear that French are cautious about the visible NATO role and I think it is clear that the views of the Iraqi government will be important."

At a photo session with Bush, Chirac didn't mention Iraq but called the G-8 summit a success. Then he lightened the conversation by saying that Bush was "kind enough to mention French cuisine, but I can tell you over the last few days, this cuisine was certainly on a par with French cuisine, and I ask the president to convey my thanks to the chef."

"He particularly liked the cheeseburger he had yesterday," Bush said.

"It was excellent," Chirac responded.

Meanwhile, G-8 leaders issued a statement expressing hope that Israel's plan to withdraw from all Gaza settlements and parts of the West Bank would "stimulate progress toward peace in the region."

Quartet urged on Mideast

They also urged breathing life into the so-called road map for peace, a plan sponsored by the coordinating group known as the Quartet: the European Union, Russia, the U.S. and the UN. They said the Quartet should meet later this month in the region and "engage with Israeli and Palestinian representatives" to try to put the peace process back on track.

In addition, the G-8 approved a U.S. initiative to step up the development of an HIV/AIDS vaccine by establishing a network of research centers around the world.

Bush promised $15 million in U.S. funds.

Separately, what was to be protesters' final sendoff fizzled Thursday when organizers canceled a planned caravan from Brunswick to Savannah to picket Bush's news conference.

The caravan was the latest of several such events planned this week that either never occurred or drew a light turnout. About 300 activists out of the expected 5,000 showed up for the scheduled marches and vigils.

Organizers said they had difficulty attracting large numbers because of the tight security and efforts by municipalities to restrict permits needed to use public venues.

"As far as we are concerned, this was a huge turnout," said Carol Bass of Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition, one of the organizers. "Having anybody in the street in the face of the kind of oppression we endured in organizing for this was a success. What this amounted to was governmental prior restraint on free speech."

040611
CT040505

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .