by Mark Silva

“The birds were beginning to chirp’’ this morning, when President Bush started meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the president’s Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas. “It was a glorious morning,’’ Bush also reported.

A good morning, in this week of multilateral talks for a president who often has been criticized as a unilateral actor, to talk about Iran: “We discussed Iran and our deep desire to solve this important issue diplomatically,’’ Bush reported. “And I believe we can solve it diplomatically, and it is more likely we do so when the United States, Germany, and other nations work collaboratively to send a common and firm message to the Iranians that… the free world does not think you should have the capacity to be able to make a nuclear weapon.’’

A good morning to talk about Iraq: “I want to thank Chancellor Merkel for understanding that success in Iraq is important for Middle Eastern peace. I fully understand that our nations have had difference of opinion on this issue, but now that this Iraqi democracy is emerging, I really appreciate the fact that Germany has been a constructive partner.’’

And a good day to cook some hamburgers: “I'm now going to go feed the chancellor a hamburger,’’Bush said after their press conference together at the ranch. “Right here, Crawford, Texas. No, well, I mean back over there.’’

“Obviously, for me,’’ Merkel said, “as a person who originally came from Hamburg... it’s even more important.’’

“Hamburger,’’ Bush said.

And with this, the public appearance of the two at the ranch ground to a halt. But in their morning press conference, the president and chancellor fielded a few questions about their agreements, for the most part – after the second private session which Bush had held with a European leader this week. Bush met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at Mount Vernon midweek in a concerted effort to repair a strained relationship between France and the United States -- strained by the same issue which also had placed the U.S. and Germany at odds: the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

At the ranch, Merkel voiced appreciation for her invitation to “a very beautiful part of this planet, of this world. It enables us to appreciate a little bit the vastness of the territory here, and also the beauty and the sheer variety of species that you have here.

“Jawhol,’’ Bush said to laughter.

They spoke mostly of their apparent accords.

“We were at one in saying that the threat posed through the nuclear program of Iran is indeed a serious one,’’ Merkel said through her interpreter. “We both share this view, but that we also were of the opinion that we think that this issue can be solved through diplomatic means; that the next step, then, obviously, would be a resolution…

“We then also said that Germany needs to look somewhat closer at the existing business ties with Iran,’’ she said. “There are certain companies that have business with Iran. We have already done that. And we need to look, as the situation unfolds, whether we have to have a closer look again at that, and possibly need to work together with our German business community. I will talk with them again on further possible reductions of those commercial ties, as we have already launched that in that tendency already now.

“We then addressed the issue of the Middle East,’’ she said. “And I said that it is in the interest of the German government, and we will indeed do everything we can to support all of the efforts that the American administration is making in order to turn the upcoming conference in Annapolis into a success. We want the peace process to make progress, and we think that the conference, the upcoming conference in Annapolis is indeed a possibility to bring this success about.

“We then obviously also discussed the issue of the upcoming climate conference in Bali,’’ she said. “And I think that this is a very good chance of turning this conference into a success. There are a lot of things where the U.S. and the European Union share views, where we are at one, and where I think that possibilities for cooperation may unfold. There are still -- there are also areas where we do not completely agree yet, where there are differences of opinion, but I think that this is a very crucial time to really set the agenda for a post-Kyoto regime. And we do hope and we will do everything we can in order to turn this conference in Indonesia into a success.’’

On other fronts, Bush was asked about Pakistan, and whether he had spoken to President Pervez Musharraf again since their only conversation, on Wednesday, during this first week of a declared state of emergency in Pakistan.

“I haven't spoken to President Musharraf since I did earlier this week, but he knows my position, and he knows the position of the U.S. government,’’ Bush said. “I do want to remind you that he has declared that he'll take off his uniform, and he has declared there will be elections, which are positive steps… We also believe that suspension of the emergency decree will make it easier for the democracy to flourish. And so our message is consistent and clear.’’

Bush was asked if he is taking a more multilateral approach toward world problems that he did perhaps two years ago.

“I felt I was pretty multilateral the first four years of my administration,’’ Bush replied. “After all, I went to the United Nations on the Iraq issue and on the Afghanistan issue, and said, we got a problem; let's work together to solve it. I would like to remind you that U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441 was unanimously approved by 15 nations, and the declaration was, disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences….

“I happen to be the kind of person that when somebody says something they better mean what they say. And although some nations didn't agree with that, there was a multilateral effort in Iraq from the get-go, and there's been a multilateral effort since the fall of Saddam Hussein. And it's important for the multilateral effort to continue because democracies are the great alternative to the tyrannies espoused by cold-blooded killers, such as al Qaeda.’’

Bush was asked if he is at all concerned that Musharraf may not live up to the promises he has made to you, and if he is worried that turmoil in Pakistan could have an effect on efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

“I take a person for his word until otherwise,’’ Bush replied. “I think that's what you have to do. When somebody says this is what they're going to do, then you give them a chance to do it. I can tell you this, that President Musharraf, right after the attacks on September the 11th, made a decision, and the decision was to stand with the United States against the extremists inside Pakistan. In other words, he was given an option: Are you with us, or are you not with us? And he made a clear decision to be with us, and he's acted on that advice…

“I believe that we will continue to have good collaboration with the leadership in Pakistan,’’ he said. “My concern is for the Pakistani democracy, for the sake of the Pakistani people, proceed as -- back on track as quickly as possible.’’