WORLD : Bush in Rome En Route to NATO Amid Hints of Troop Reductions
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ROME — President Bush arrived here today en route to a summit with NATO leaders, preceded by a report he will announce a reduction in U.S. troops in Europe.
In remarks at Rome’s Ciampino Military Airport, Bush praised U.S.-Italian ties of friendship and said, “The United States welcomes a stronger and more united Europe.”
He also said he plans to be “actively engaged in Eastern Europe, promoting measures to encourage political and economic liberalization in Poland.”
He is to spend the weekend here before proceeding to the summit in Brussels.
As the Bushes left Washington, The Washington Times reported that he planned to use the summit as the stage for announcing a reduction of up to 10% in U.S. troop strength in Europe, “as many as 34,000 troops.”
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