Amid tight security and mass anti-war protests, EU and US leaders on Saturday wrapped up their annual summit at Dromoland Castle, midwestern Ireland, with both sides stressing their "strong links" and playing down the soured transatlantic relationship due to disputes over the US-led Iraq war.

Accompanied by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice and other high-level officials, US President George W. Bush, who arrived here late Friday for the two-day summit, headed the US delegation in talks with EU officials led by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and EU Commission President Romano Prodi.

The situation in Iraq, the Middle East peace process and anti-terrorism topped the discussions between EU and US leaders. The summit also highlighted HIV/AIDS, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Sudan, partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East region, as well as the transatlantic economic relationship.

According to the Irish EU presidency, the summit, the first to take place between the US and the enlarged European Union of 25 members states, marks a further deepening in the EU-US relationship.

"From the outset, the transatlantic relationship has been a core focus of our presidency, and it is my steadfast belief that a close transatlantic partnership is essential for prosperity and for growth on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as for the broader international community. And I'm pleased that this summit has reaffirmed the strength, the depth, and the significance of our relationship in the spirit of partnership," Ahern told a joint news conference with Bush and Prodi.

"The European Union and United States share...a common set of values based on the unshakable commitment to democracy, to human rights and the rule of law. And it's these shared values which make us enduring partners, a partnership that has been fundamental to the stability and prosperity of both Europe and America over the last 50 years," said Ahern, whose country would wrap up its rotating EU presidency at the end of June.

Hailing the EU enlargement as a "historic achievement" and a "new beginning", Bush told the news conference that he looked forward to working with the nations of the European Union to increase their common prosperity, to strengthen their common security, and to advance their common interest in the spread of liberty.

"Europe and America are linked by the ties of family, friendship and common struggle and common values... As we meet our responsibilities in this new century, we will defeat the forces of terror and help to build a freer, safer, and more prosperous world," said Bush, whose visit to Ireland generated large scale anti-war protests in the country and cost the Irish government about US$3.8 million to put more than 6,000 security forces on duty during the summit.

"We just concluded a constructive discussion on our common efforts to help the Iraqi people achieve the stability, prosperity and democracy they seek. As Iraq moves toward the transfer of sovereignty next week, the EU and the United States are united in our determination to help the people of Iraq," Bush added, stressing that the bitter differences over the Iraq war were over.

Bush also said the US and EU share a fundamental interest in the health of the global economy, and both sides were looking at new ways to open markets on both sides of the Atlantic.

Despite their points of differences such as the International Criminal Court, the death penalty and Kyoto, the European Union and the United States saw their relationship boosted as the two sides issued several declarations to stress their common ground on rebuilding Iraq, combating terrorism, supporting the peace process and reform in the broader Middle East and in the Mediterranean, strengthening the transatlantic economic partnership and fighting terrorism. The two sides also pledged to coordinate their efforts on Sudan and HIV/AIDS.

Saturday also saw a closer EU-US relationship as the two sides signed a cooperation agreement between the European and US satellite-navigation systems following several years of negotiations.

However, disputes between the EU and US, especially on Iraq, could not be totally over in the short time, against the backdrop that EU leaders still have their serious concerns over the issues of Iraq such as prisoners abuse by coalition forces and that the United States is still struggling to woo its other NATO allies to offer their support in rebuilding Iraq.

"(Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad) Allawi has written a letter to NATO asking for training and equipment. And I hope NATO responds in a positive way, because the ultimate success inside of Iraq is going to depend upon the ability of the Iraqi citizens to defend themselves," Bush said, calling on NATO to take its "responsibility" to help with security in Iraq.

"Well, we'll find out tomorrow (if NATO will respond to the request of the Iraqi interim government). That's why I'm traveling to Turkey today," said Bush, before he left Ireland on Saturday afternoon for Turkey to attend the Istanbul NATO summit scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency June 27, 2004)