Sarkozy, Merkel to meet Bush this week

By Kerstin Gehmlich

PARIS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Sarkozy will use his first official trip to the United States this week to show France has emerged as a committed European partner following its determined opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

George W. Bush will meet Sarkozy on Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington, just days before the U.S. president receives German Chancellor Angela Merkel at his ranch in Crawford on Friday.

Both German and French ties with Washington were strained when Sarkozy's and Merkel's respective predecessors sharply criticized the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

Merkel moved swiftly to mend ties when she took power two years ago. But U.S. diplomats say small differences have started to emerge on issues ranging from Iran's nuclear program to Afghanistan and Kosovo, where Merkel's cautious, consensual approach has begun to grate in Washington.

In this context and with Bush's favored European ally Tony Blair having left his prime ministerial post to the less amenable Gordon Brown, Sarkozy has become a central player for Washington, analysts say.

"Sarkozy has really changed the equation and put a lot more pressure on Merkel," said Stephen Szabo of the German Marshall Fund in Washington. "He is tough on Iran, which means she can't hide behind the French anymore. The Germans are no longer the only key partner for the United States in Europe."

But despite Berlin's and Paris's efforts to renew U.S. ties, Merkel and Sarkozy are unlikely to compete against each other.

"I don't think there's any competition for being George W. Bush's best friend," said Bruno Tertrais, Senior Research Fellow, at France's Foundation for Strategic Research.

"First, the U.S. administration in European eyes largely appears to be a lame duck. The Bush administration only has one year left in power. The second reason is that there are no domestic political benefits to be had from appearing as close as possible to the U.S. administration."

POODLE

Merkel sits atop a fragile "grand coalition" of conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) where issues such as a redeployment of German troops to southern Afghanistan, which might satisfy Washington, are sensitive.

In France, voter opposition to the U.S. strategy in Iraq remains high. Sarkozy, a fan of American lifestyle who met Bush informally during his U.S. holiday this summer, was branded "Bush's poodle" by the Socialists before coming into office.

Officials said Iran's nuclear ambitions will feature high on the agenda at both Sarkozy's and Merkel's talks with Bush.

The three countries plus Britain, Russia and China agreed on Friday to push ahead with a third round of U.N. sanctions against Iran unless reports indicate this month that Tehran has tried to address their concerns over its nuclear program.

Sarkozy has shown greater willingness than predecessor Jacques Chirac to put pressure on Iran over the nuclear issue.

By contrast, officials say Germany is the least hawkish of the three European powers spearheading diplomatic efforts to persuade Tehran to suspend its nuclear enrichment program.

"Iran is the number one issue and it is interesting that Sarkozy is visiting first. Merkel will come into the meeting facing a great deal of pressure for more sanctions. She is in a difficult position," Szabo of the German Marshall Fund said.

U.S. officials say U.S.-French ties are on a new footing.

"The tide has really turned in this relationship," U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in Paris this week.

Besides Iran, the two Europeans are also set to raise issues including Kosovo, NATO and U.S. missile shield plans with Bush.

(Additional reporting by Noah Barkin in Berlin, Emmanuel Jarry in Paris)