World awaits new US president, better ties

Republicans celebrate as polls show US President George W. Bush winning the state of Florida during a post-election celebration yesterday in Washington, DC. PHOTO: AFP

As the cliff-hanger election saw incumbent President George W. Bush seeming to edge ahead of Democrat rival John Kerry, many countries called for a new chapter in relations, putting aside the lingering animosity over the war in Iraq.

"Regardless of who gets into the White House, you're going to see a renewed commitment to reach out to Europe," the US ambassador to the European Union Rockwell Schnabel told reporters in Brussels.

"You're going to see a United States that is interested in listening to your concerns, that is going to be dealing with you, coming from humility and coming from respect," he pledged.

Germany's coordinator for transatlantic relationships Karsten Voigt said a new beginning in European-American relations was both "possible and desirable." "I simply hope that the American president, whatever his name might be, will take this opportunity to reach out to Europeans and say in both style and substance how we can work together," Voigt said.

But although the final outcome of the US election -- the second cliffhanger in four years -- may not be known for 10 days at least, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said it was time for a new phase in Franco-American relations in a multipolar world.

"Europe is acquiring institutional maturity. Relations between the EU and the US are at a key moment," he told RTL radio.

A spokeswoman for the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said they were concerned about Bush winning a second mandate, with the Middle East peace process seemingly in tatters.

"I fear that they (Bush and government officials) will see the vote as validating their policy in the Middle East," said Palestinian Authority envoy to France, Leila Shahid.

And Poland clearly favored the incumbent. "We like strong and decisive leaders, whom we can judge by their acts and not their words. George Bush is closer to us with his actions. He is predictable and strong," Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski told Polish public radio.

"If Bush stays in the White House, relations between the United States and the European Union are likely to improve," said Antonio Tajani of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Bush would likely be re-elected and that he did not expect major policy changes from a second Republican administration.