Eamonn Fitzgerald's Rainy Day: Prague frost

For the German press, the NATO summit in Prague so far is as much about President Bush shaking Chancellor Schr??s hand as it is about the alliance's future. The relationship between the "partners" remains frosty and Bush seems to be in no hurry to heal the rift. His speech yesterday was full of digs and pointed references that included "U-boats" and "Munich":

"The transatlantic ties of Europe and America have met every test of history, and we intend to again. U-boats could not divide us. The threats and stand-offs of the Cold War did not make us weary. The commitment of my nation to Europe is found in the carefully tended graves of young Americans who died for this continent's freedom. That commitment is shown by the thousands in uniforms still serving here, from the Balkans to Bavaria, still willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for this continent's future.

For a hundred years place names of Europe have often stood for conflict and tragedy and loss. Single words evoke sad and bitter experience — Verdun, Munich, Stalingrad, Dresden, Nuremberg and Yalta. We have no power to rewrite history. We do have the power to write a different story for our time.

When future generations look back at this moment and speak of Prague and what we did here, that name will stand for hope. In Prague, young democracies will gain new security; a grand Alliance will gather a strength and find new purpose. And America and Europe will renew the historic friendship that still keeps the peace of the world. "