Differences were put aside yesterday at the US cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, as President Jacques Chirac called the United States France's "eternal ally". Referring to the September 11th attacks on the US, he added: "France stands alongside every man and woman in America." Lara Marlowe, in Colleville reports.
Amid the leaders from 16 countries and 20,000 invited guests, many of them second World War veterans, President George Bush said the US and its European allies were bound together by the sacrifices made 60 years ago to liberate Europe from the Nazis' grip.
"Our great alliance is strong and it is still needed today," he said after a 21-gun salute and military flypast.
Hailing the presence of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, the first German leader to attend D-Day anniversary events in France, Mr Chirac said: "We hold up the example of Franco-German reconciliation, to show the world that hatred has no future."
"In Germany, we know who caused the war. We're aware of our responsibility and take it seriously," said Mr Schröder, whose father was killed in the war.
Yet despite Mr Chirac's repeated expressions of gratitude to the US for liberating France from "the yoke of Nazi barbarity", the 60th anniversary celebration of the Normandy landings is likely to prove but a truce in the cold war between Paris and Washington.
Iraq was not mentioned in yesterday's ceremonies attended by Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair, Russian President Mr Vladimir Putin and Canadian Prime Minister Mr Paul Martin.
Until their dinner together on Saturday night in Paris, Mr Chirac and Mr Bush had not met privately for nine months. At a press conference before their departure for Normandy, both said they believed agreement on a United Nations Security Council resolution recognising the new Iraqi government was imminent.
Yet French officials warned of looming clashes at the G-8 summit at Sea Island, Georgia, this week. Tension between Paris and Washington is likely to persist at the NATO Summit in Istanbul at the end of June, when Mr Bush is expected to ask the Atlantic Alliance to shoulder more of the burden in Iraq.
Official France had taken exception to Mr Bush's statements in Paris Match magazine comparing Iraq with the war against Hitler.
In what appeared to be an allusion to Mr Bush's campaign for re-election, Mr Chirac said he "understood perfectly what led President Bush to make this comparison". But, he added: "I don't think that history repeats itself, and it is always extremely difficult to compare historic situations."
Meanwhile, an anti-Bush rally in Paris drew only 12,000 protesters.