US President George W. Bush arrived in Berlin on Wednesday evening for a 20-hour working visit to Germany, with security issues high on his agenda.
Immediately after his arrival, Bush went into a dinner with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in a restaurant near the Adlon Hotel, where the US president is staying. The two leaders will hold a formal round of talks on Thursday.
Bush will also meet German President Johannes Rau and deliver a speech at the Bundestag (lower chamber of parliament), before leaving for Moscow on Thursday afternoon. Bush's European trip will also take him to France and Italy.
On the eve of his visit, Bush told the German newspaper " Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung" that he wants to strengthen the transatlantic relations, praise the allies for their help in the war against terrorism, and also prepare them for "many and hard tasks" ahead.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was accompanying Bush, told the press shortly after the arrival in Berlin that Bush and Schroeder would discuss policies concerning Iraq, Afghanistan, trade and the arms treaty with Russia.
However, European countries, including Germany, have been increasingly concerned about Washington's intention to widen the anti-terrorism war and its tendency of unilateralism.
Peter Struck, parliamentary leader of the ruling Social- democratic Party of Deutschland (SPD), said at a TV program that he would raise the concerns over possible military action against Iraq when Bush meets German parliamentarians.
Bush should also be prepared to hear criticism over the US rejection of treaties on climate protection and international court on war crimes, he said.
Meanwhile, 20,000 people on Wednesday evening demonstrated on streets not far away from the Adlon Hotel, to protest against U.S. foreign policies. This is the second day of such demonstration in Berlin.
Some young men burnt a US flag and threw bottles and rock at policemen, who later detained several demonstrators, local press said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2002)
