EUROPE Colin Powell says he'll try to heal deep rift

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says he has an ambitious travel schedule in Europe in the weeks ahead to help heal deep U.S. divisions with the continent stemming from the Iraq war.
Powell told reporters en route to Mexico City on Monday night that he planned to carry that message to a meeting with NATO, the European Union and the 57-nation Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe early next month.
"Our European friends have no illusion that the president wants to have a strong relationship with all of our European friends and allies, notwithstanding any disagreements we have had in the past," Powell said.
Acrimonious relations
Although U.S. ties with Central and Eastern European countries have been relatively warm, they have been acrimonious with France and, to a lesser extent, Germany. Spain also loosened its ties with Washington since the election of a socialist government in March.
After Bush's re-election last week, French President Jacques Chirac told Bush he hoped for a strengthening of the French-American friendship. But Chirac also told EU ministers that it was essential for Europe to "strengthen its unity and dynamism when faced with this great world power," the United States.