Bush trip focuses on building rapport

By John King
CNN Senior White House Correspondent

WARSAW, Poland -- As President Bush makes the final stops of his five-nation European tour, his early steps on the world stage are being watched for style as much as substance -- his tone on this first official visit to Europe viewed as critical if he is to ultimately overcome significant policy differences with major allies and with Russia.

So Bush is stressing cooperation and consultation, even as he holds his ground on policy disputes such as global warming and missile defense.

For example, Swedish Prime Minister Gorean Persson's disappointment was clearly evident after talks on global climate change in which Bush reiterated his firm opposition to the Kyoto protocol calling for mandatory reductions in emissions of so-called greenhouse gases.

"Say we agree to disagree about the substance according to the Kyoto protocol," Persson told reporters.

VIDEO Now that Bush has had meetings with major European allies, how is he being perceived? CNN's John King finds out (June 15) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    IN-DEPTH Bush in Europe • Kyoto division downplayed • Bush charm drive fails • Bush's Kyoto alternative • Bush's European agenda • On the issues • Q&A: Missile defence • Flash: Missile defence • News search • Quick vote • Share your views • Europe's view on Bush • Changing face of Europe • Global warming

But Bush was quick to add, "However, that doesn't mean that we cannot continue to work together on reducing greenhouse gases."

It was much the same earlier in the week at the NATO summit in Brussels. Several major U.S. allies, led by France and Germany, raised questions about U.S. plans for a missile defense. President Jacques Chirac of France, for example, took issue with Bush's characterization of the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty as a relic of the Cold War. But Bush chose to accentuate the positive, noting favorable remarks about the concept of developing a missile defense by several nations, including Britain, Italy, Hungary, Poland and Spain.

The president has made no secret of his guiding philosophy in world affairs: If possible, build strong personal relationships first, in the belief that progress on policy disputes comes easier once leaders have developed a personal rapport.

"I haven't had a chance to nurture a relationship beyond some casual conversations with some of the leaders," Bush told reporters. "But over time," he said, "I suspect we will have very close relations with all the leaders."

Some of the early friction comes with the territory, veterans of prior administrations say. "Europeans complain if we lead and then complain when we don't lead," former Clinton national security adviser Samuel Berger said in an interview. "So it is the nature of the beast that there is always a certain degree of generally friendly but nonetheless contentious conversations."

One Bush goal for this trip is an image makeover. He told reporters he wants to dispel the notion held by some allies that he is a "unilateralist" bent on going his own way without consulting or appreciating the views of other nations.

And White House aides cringe, for example, when other leaders are asked whether the president is uninterested or unintelligent, as British Prime Minister Tony Blair was after the NATO summit."I don't think anyone at the meeting would have recognized that caricature," Blair said. "He was extremely articulate."

But Bush occasionally gives his critics fodder.

In Sweden, after meetings with EU leaders, he said: "We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease." Africa, of course, is a continent.

And there are frequent questions about what Bush's father, the former president, referred to as the "vision thing."

Asked about his vision for Europe and the transatlantic alliance, Bush promised to spell out his views Friday in Warsaw, where he is giving a major address on the eve of his Saturday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We're now, in a sense, 10 percent through the term of the Bush administration," Berger said. "The European allies want to hear what President Bush's vision is for the transatlantic relationship and our relationship with Russia."