Bush sells peace plan to Europe 

US President George W. Bush urged Europe to move past Iraq war divisions and work together to advance Middle East peace and put pressure on Russia to renew its commitment to democracy.

"Together we can once again set history on a hopeful course," Bush said in a keynote speech in Brussels, home of the European Union and NATO, pledging to work in partnership with Europe in implicit contrast to the much-criticised go-it-alone thrust of his first term in office.

The speech, on the first day of a European tour, set the tone for his first trip to the continent since beginning his second term a month ago.

Amid international attempts to coax Israelis and Palestinians into a peace deal and to support Iraq's fledgling democracy, Bush bluntly said Syria "must end its occupation of Lebanon" and refused to rule out military force over Iran's own refusal to halt its nuclear ambitions.

It was a tough tone that may alarm European publics which strongly opposed the invasion of Iraq.

Bush urged the European Union to help reconstruct Iraq, and EU diplomats were in fact putting together a package of assistance that includes plans to train police and judges and offer political support in drafting a new constitution which the bloc will offer as a show of goodwill on Tuesday.

Reflecting Western concern at a perceived authoritarian drift in Moscow, Bush made his most pointed public comment in months about the state of Russia's democracy ahead of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Treading carefully, Bush said the United States supports Russian entry into the World Trade Organisation, but that "for Russia to make progress as a European nation, the Russian government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law."

While reform will not happen overnight, Bush said, "The United States and all European nations should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with Russia." It was a message Bush has been delivering privately to Putin.

Bush struck a largely conciliatory note, saying he wanted to work in partnership with a united Europe, and received polite applause - and a standing ovation when he called for a strong Europe - for his speech to a hand-picked audience in the 19th century Concert Noble hall.

On Monday night, Bush was to seek a fresh start with French President Jacques Chirac, a top Iraq war critic, at a working dinner.

On Iran, Bush said that for the sake of peace Tehran must not develop nuclear weapons and he left open the possibility of military action, while emphasizing a diplomatic route.

"In safeguarding the security of free nations, no option can be taken permanently off the table. Iran, however, is different from Iraq. We're in the early stages of diplomacy," he said.

He praised diplomatic efforts by Britain, France and Germany to persuade Iran to end nuclear enrichment that could enable it to build a bomb but offered no US incentive to Tehran to comply, as European leaders have sought.

Responding to the Europeans' most pressing priority, Bush pledged to work for Israeli-Palestinian peace, a cause many allies felt he neglected in his first term. He said a settlement "is now within reach."

"Temporary Debate"

Bush tried to reach out to European leaders who had opposed his Iraq war policy, playing down their severe rifts as a "temporary debate" and "passing disagreement of governments."

He will spend much of his five days in Europe meeting anti-war leaders, beginning with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Chirac; Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Germany on Wednesday and Putin in Slovakia.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson reacted to the speech by saying Bush appeared to be trying to set aside the divisions over Iraq.

"I think America has learned from its experience that it's better to work with and through allies, than alone. I think that's why you're seeing this evolution of American policy," he said.

There were no apologies on either side for the bitter differences over the war to oust Saddam Hussein.

Verhofstadt, the host, said in introducing Bush: "The time has come to draw a line under the tensions of the recent past. It makes little sense to continue arguing about who was right and who was wrong."

Bush responded: "As past debates fade, and great duties become clear, let us begin a new era of transatlantic unity."

The US leader did not mention Washington's opposition to EU plans to lift an arms embargo on China, but diplomats said the issue was likely to arise at summits with NATO and the European Union on Tuesday.