Tensions resurfaced between the US and France over Iraq yesterday, hours after President Bush celebrated the international agreement which authorised the return of Iraqi sovereignty.
Hoping to build on momentum from his UN Security Council victory, Mr Bush said he wanted a wider role for NATO in Iraq, but was swiftly rebuffed by the French president, Mr Jacques Chirac, who said the alliance had no such role.
Mr Bush, standing with his ally British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair at the Group of Eight meeting of industrialised nations, said NATO should be involved in securing and stabilising Iraq over the coming months. "We believe NATO ought to be involved," he said. "We will work with our NATO friends to at least continue the role that now exists, and hopefully expand it somewhat."
Although Mr Bush did not elaborate, Washington officials said the US would like to see NATO become involved in training the new Iraqi army and expanding the number of its members in Iraq.
However, just hours after Mr Bush's statement, which was fully endorsed by Mr Blair, Mr Chirac told a news conference: "I do not think that it is NATO's job to intervene in Iraq. Moreover, I do not have the feeling that it would be either timely or necessarily well understood. I see myself with strong reservations on this." At present NATO, which has been involved in peacekeeping from the Balkans to Afghanistan, provides limited logistic support for troops in Iraq. The US-led military operation is carried out primarily by US and British forces.
Despite his comments, the French president played down suggestions of renewed tension between both sides and maintained that, while they disagreed over certain matters, France still had "excellent" relations with the US.
World leaders also met the new Iraqi president, Mr Ghazi al-Yawar, at the summit, which is being held behind tight security at the Sea Island resort in Georgia.
In a move set to test the new- found unity of world leaders, the G8 was last night due to sign off on a US initiative to expand the push for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. This has been the subject of negotiations for six months and the US had to rewrite some of the initiative to satisfy European concerns.
Although several Middle Eastern nations were represented at talks yesterday, Egypt and Saudi Arabia did not accept invitations to attend.
Both countries have been resisting Mr Bush's call for democratic change. The drive is expected to include the formation of a "Forum for the Future" in the Middle East.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said that while he welcomed the initiative, it would not deflect from existing EU plans to promote reform in the region.