US Secretary of State Colin Powell has called on European nations to look beyond their differences with the United States over Iraq and mend transatlantic relations.
Ahead of a meeting of Nato Foreign Ministers in Brussels today, Mr Powell said: "I know that some of the president's key decisions these last four years have been controversial in Europe, especially decisions that were made about Iraq.
He said: "Whatever our differences about the past and about Iraq, we are now looking forward. We're reaching out to Europe and we hope that Europe will reach out to us."
On what is likely to be his last European trip as Secretary of State, Mr Powell said the United States and Europe had a shared responsibility to respond to new global threats and challenges and to promote democracy.
US President George W. Bush will visit Nato and the European Union on February 22nd in a move to rebuild transatlantic relations at the start of his second term, it emerged today.
Mr Powell said Mr Bush planned to make the first overseas visit after his inauguration next month to Europe but gave no date.