BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Union congratulated US President George W. Bush on his re-election and pledged to overhaul transatlantic links strained to breaking point in his first term.
Both EU and US officials here said they hoped Bush`s second term would turn a new page on the past four years` bitter rancour caused by a host of differences dominated by the war in Iraq.
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who holds the EU`s rotating presidency, sent a personal letter of congratulation to Bush.
"He looks forward to a continuation of the productive relations with his administration," a Dutch presidency statement said.
"The United States and the European Union are linked by strong cultural, economic and political ties, and by our shared values. This makes us each other`s natural and indispensable partners," it said.
"The presidency is confident that this relationship will be further deepened and strengthened under the new administration."
EU foreign affairs chief Javier Solana extended his warm congratulations to Bush.
"Together, Europe and the United States face many critical challenges in the years ahead. As in the past, our best hope for success lies in common action," he said in a statement.
"In a spirit of true partnership, I look forward to working intensively and fruitfully with the incoming US administration."
Romano Prodi, the caretaker chief of the EU`s executive commission, said transatlantic "bonds of friendship and cooperation... are vital to maintaining peace in the world on the basis of multilaterally shared principles and values".
Prodi said that in his first term, Bush "has had to deal with the horrifying onslaught of terrorism".
"I hope his second term will see the United States and the whole world enjoy the political stabilisation and the guarantee of collective security we have all done our utmost to ensure," he said.
EU nations were deeply split by the defining foreign-policy issue of Bush`s first term in office, the war on Iraq, but are now coming together to work for the shattered country`s reconstruction.
Democratic challenger John Kerry conceded the election to Bush after a nail-biting, night-long delay that focused on the key state of Ohio.
The result finally emerged as EU leaders prepared for a two-day summit starting here Thursday that will include talks with Iraqi interim prime minister Iyad Allawi over lunch on Friday.
Britain spearheaded a group of European countries that backed the US military campaign, while EU heavyweights France and German led an anti-war bloc, to the fury of the Bush administration.
That divide has not gone away. But in the run-up to the meeting with Allawi, EU foreign ministers agreed Tuesday a package of financial and logistical support to Iraq ahead of elections planned for January.
The US ambassador to the EU, Rockwell Schnabel, said Bush would "reach out" to Europe in his second term as both sides seek to bury their differences over Iraq.
"It is the intention of the administration of the incoming president to renew the commitment, to reach out to Europe," he told AFP.
Schnabel said that based on congratulatory telephone calls placed to Bush by European leaders, "my feeling is is that when we reach out to Europe, that Europe will reach out back to the United States".
"We`d like to think that on Iraq, the worst is over," he added.
Bush also received congratulations from the head of the NATO military alliance, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
"I have no doubt that President Bush will maintain the United States` long tradition of strong engagement in NATO -- the essential bridge between North America and Europe," he said.
11/03/2004 - 20:08 GMT - AFP