Merkel Mends Fences in Washington

Relations between George Bush and Gerhard Schröder sank so low that the president refused to take the former German chancellor's phone calls. So diplomats in Washington and Berlin will be hoping yesterday's meeting at the White House between Mr Bush and Angela Merkel, the new German chancellor, heralds a better era in relations between the countries following the divisive clash over the Iraq war.

On the surface the signs are good. Ms Merkel, who is more in tune with Mr Bush's conservative policies than her predecessor, has promised to work with the president. The administration has welcomed these overtures and sees Germany's first woman leader as a strong potential partner.

It was all smiles following their three-hour meeting - the last time Mr Schröder visited the White House he was allotted a meagre 20 minutes. "We've got a lot in common," Mr Bush said.

But Ms Merkel made it clear she will not be anybody's patsy, raising with Mr Bush the issue of Guantánamo Bay, which she has publicly said should be closed down. "There have been differences of opinion, I mentioned Guantánamo in this respect," she said. But he rejected the suggestion the prison camp on Cuba should be shut, describing it as "a necessary part of protecting the American people".

Having grown up in East Germany, Ms Merkel's pro-American credentials are not in doubt, and her recent references to "liberty" had the White House in raptures.