CRAWFORD, Texas (AFP) — US President George W. Bush welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to his Texas ranch for two-day talks on issues like Iran and Afghanistan, with barbecue and maybe a hike on the menu.
Bush and Merkel -- who joined an elite group of world leaders invited to the "Prairie Chapel" property -- were expected to showcase diplomatic efforts to confront Tehran over what the West suspects may be a nuclear weapons program.
"In Texas, when you invite somebody to your home, it's an expression of warmth and respect. And that's how I feel about Chancellor Merkel," said Bush, who he hoped for "constructive talks as well as a chance to relax and visit."
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was to be on hand Saturday to discuss the Middle East peace process, as well as efforts to stabilize Afghanistan, Kosovo's future, pressure on Myanmar, and Lebanon's political crisis.
"I would like to say a very thanks to you, George, for issuing this invitation to us," Merkel said through an interpreter after the helicopter ride that took her to the 850-hectare (1,600-acre) ranch near this flyspeck town.
"Already, a first glance of the area shows us that this is indeed a wonderful place to be in, a wonderful atmosphere. And we have a number of issues that I think we will have now time to discuss," she said.
Ahead of the talks, US officials downplayed fissures between the allies on the US hard line toward Iran and Germany's restrictions on its troops in Afghanistan but also downplayed the likelihood of any breakthroughs.
"Strategically we see eye-to-eye. I think tactically there are some slight differences," on issues like Iran and Afghanistan, said US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
Bush will take up the new round of US sanctions on the Islamic republic and tell Merkel "this is part of our diplomatic strategy," he said. "While, yes, we never take any options off the table, this was the next step in trying to make diplomacy work."
Merkel, who leads Iran's largest European trading partner, said Germany would embrace "further, tougher sanctions" if ongoing talks fail to convince Iran to heed UN demands to freeze sensitive nuclear work.
Washington has been leading a push for an immediate third wave of UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic which has defied UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment, a possible step towards building nuclear weapons.
On Afghanistan, Johndroe flatly refused to repeat past US jibes at NATO partner Germany for refusing to allow its troops to deploy in the dangerous part of southern Afghanistan to fight the Taliban insurgency.
Bush was also expected to take Merkel on a tour, because "he's fond of taking visitors around and showing off the ranch," said the spokesman. "It should be a nice day tomorrow."
According to a menu released by the White House, they were to dine on citrus and arugula salad with shaved parmesan; pecan-smoked beef tenderloin with sauteed mushrooms, green chili-cheese grits souffle, and roasted asparagus; and Prairie Chapel Pecan Pie with Blue Bell ice cream.
Merkel's visit capped a busy diplomatic week for Bush, who hosted Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for tense talks about Iraq and welcomed French President Nicolas Sarkozy to the White House for a charm campaign.
Ties between the United States and Germany notably soured under Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schroeder, who steadfastly opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, backing the stand taken by then French president Jacques Chirac.
But Bush is known to have a soft spot for Merkel, who took office in November 2005, and even relished a down-home barbecue of wild boar with her in her electoral district on July 2006.
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