France in Two Days
May 27, 2002
Under overcast skies, US President George W. Bush paid a solemn visit to the D-Day cemetery at Normandy on Monday, following talks with French President Jacques Chirac on tensions in the US-Europe relationship.
The Normandy visit, where more than 9,386 America war dead are buried is a tradition among US presidents. Ronald Reagan visited the beaches in northwest France on the 40th anniversary in 1984. Bill Clinton arrived to commemorate the 50th anniversary in 1994.
As in stops in Berlin and Paris, Bush’s visit was met with protests in Caen, near the D-Day beaches. A few thousand demonstrated against Bush’s policies on Sunday, before his Monday arrival.
The Normandy stop will be the president’s last official stop in France before heading to Rome Monday night, where he will be present at a summit marking the inauguration of the NATO-Russia Council.
Bush testy on protestors
Bush responded testily to questions about the thousands that have gathered at stops in Berlin and Paris to protest his visit.
''So you go to a protest, and I drive through the streets of Berlin seeing hundreds of people lining the road, waving,'' Bush told reporters at a joint press conference with Chirac.
He continued, "and the fact that protesters show up, that's good. I mean, I'm in a democracy. I'm travelling to a country that respects other people's points of view. But I feel very comfortable coming to Europe. I feel very comfortable coming to France. I've got a lot of friends here.''
Frank discussions yield little
Bush said he has been pleased with discussions he has held with German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Chirac, who said the two leaders talked about "very real issues."
Chirac said he used his meeting with Bush to voice French and EU concerns about what they perceive as American unilateralism on a host of issues including trade and the environment.
The two leaders did not bring up Iraq in their joint press conference. Possible US military action in Iraq has met heavy resistance in European capitals. France, whose business community has an active presence in Iraq, is especially wary of US designs on toppling dictator Saddam Hussein.