US President George W. Bush takes his fence-mending tour of Europe to Germany today for talks with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on how best to deal with Iran and whether NATO should be overhauled.
The first three days of president Bush's 5-day trip have focused largely on extolling new transatlantic harmony, after the bitter Iraq war divide, and glossing over differences on Iran, NATO and Europe's desire to lift an arms embargo against China.
Mr Bush has differed with Mr Schroeder over Iraq as he has with much of Europe and was peeved that the German leader ran for re-election in 2002 on a platform attacking US policy in Iraq.
But over the past year the chill with Schroeder has thawed, with Bush grateful at Germany's assistance in Afghanistan and the two leaders declaring they have a good working relationship.
They will see each other for talks and a news conference in Mainz on Wednesday before president Bush goes on to a US military base in Wiesbaden to rally the troops and then flies on to Bratislava in Slovakia for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow.
During an eight-hour visit to Germany, the US president will also hold a round table discussion with 24 "young leaders" from US-German groups and tour Mainz's museum to 15th century printing pioneer Johannes Gutenberg.
Up to 6,000 anti-Bush demonstrators were expected to gather in Mainz with at least as many police on hand to keep them away. Some 77 percent of Germans believe Mr Bush's re-election has made the world more dangerous, a recent BBC poll showed.
President Bush and chancellor Schroeder will likely have a lively exchange over Iran and NATO.
Before Mr Bush arrived in Brussels on Sunday, chancellor Schroeder captured headlines by declaring NATO needed an overhaul.
Many Europeans interpreted this as a way to reduce America's political influence in the 26-member defence alliance it founded in 1949 and still dominates.
In addition, Mr Schroeder has been vocal in urging the United States to be more involved in European Union talks with Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
Mr Bush says that he is happy to let the European powers try to reach a settlement with Iran but that if Tehran does not end uranium enrichment he will seek sanctions from the UN Security Council and will not rule out using military power.
"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous," Bush said on Tuesday. "Having said that, all options are on the table."
Mr Schroeder told an EU-US summit in Brussels that France, Germany and Britain were considering selling the Iranians an Airbus airliner as a sweetener to keep them at the table, with the prospect of more planes if they accepted a deal.