US President George W. Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks yesterday amid an escalating conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Lebanon.

 

Bush, on a brief stopover to Germany's northern port city of Stralsund, Merkel's constituency, en route to Russia for the Group of Eight (G8) summit, accused Hezbollah of jeopardizing peace in the Middle East.

 

Israel has a right to defend itself, the president told reporters in a joint press conference.

 

Bush's remarks followed Israel's intensified attacks against Lebanon in response to a cross-border raid by Hezbollah guerrillas on Wednesday during which two Israeli soldiers were captured.

 

"My attitude is this: there are a group of terrorists who want to stop the advance of peace," he said.

 

Meanwhile, Bush warned that any action taken must not weaken the democratic government in Lebanon, which he described as "very important" for peace in the region.

 

Echoing Bush, Merkel said a strong government in Lebanon was in the interests of the international community.

 

On Iran's nuclear crisis, both Bush and Merkel urged Tehran to accept at an earlier date the "fair" international deal hammered out by five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany to end Iran's controversial nuclear activities.

 

"I truly think they are trying to wait us out. And I think they are going to be sorely mistaken." Bush said.

 

Merkel said, "Should Iran not in any way reply to this offer and accept this offer, we unfortunately have to embark on a new course."

 

"The door has not been closed but Iran must know that those who have submitted this offer are willing ... to act in concert and to show this clearly through their action in the Security Council," she added.

 

The US and other permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, have agreed to raise Iran's behavior at the council for possible punishment.

 

Security around Stralsund was tight during Bush's visit, with fighter jets and helicopters patrolling the skies and police officers with binoculars scanning the area from the rooftops.

 

Anti-Bush demonstrations were kept well away from the areas that Bush was due to tour. The environmental group Greenpeace hung a banner reading "No War, No Nukes, No Bush" from the Marienkirche Church.

 

Thursday's meeting with Merkel is a sign that US-Germany relations under Merkel are significantly better than they have been for years, especially following the deep strains caused by the Iraq war.

 

With British Prime Minister Tony Blair under constant attack at home and Italy's Silvio Berlusconi losing this year's elections, Merkel could emerge as Bush's strongest ally in Europe, analysts say.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2006)