Bush denies plans to attack Iran

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- President Bush said Tuesday that it is "simply ridiculous" to assume the United States has plans to attack Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program.\n"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table," Bush said after discussing the issue with European allies.\nBush used his bluntest language yet to give assurance to Iran's leaders. Last week, in a series of pre-trip interviews with European journalists, he also tried to dispel talk of a military attack, an issue that has been raised repeatedly since the United States went to war with Iraq primarily over its alleged weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons have been found in Iraq.\nOn Iran, Bush has walked a careful line in expressing support for a European-led approach offering Iran technological, financial and political support in return for scrapping its uranium enrichment program.\n"It's in our interests for them not to have a nuclear weapon," Bush said in a news conference with European Union leaders.\nThe United States has refused to get involved in the bargaining with Tehran or to make commitments about incentives, insisting that Tehran abandon its program.\nAlso on Tuesday, Bush hailed NATO's modest pledge to help train security forces in Iraq, saying "every contribution helps."\n"The NATO training mission is an important mission because, after all, the success of Iraq depends upon the capacity and the willingness of the Iraqis to defend their own selves against terrorists," he said during an earlier news conference at NATO headquarters.\nBush also made clear his intention to challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin on recent actions, including restrictions on the press and Moscow's treatment of neighboring Baltic countries, that U.S. officials view as harmful to democracy there. The two leaders meet Thursday in Slovakia.\n"A constructive relationship allows me to remind him that I believe Russia is a European country, and European countries embrace those very same values that America embraces," Bush said. "I'm confident that can be done in a cordial way."\nPutin defended his approach.\n"Russia chose democracy 14 years ago not to please anyone, but for its own sake, for the sake of the nation and its citizens," Putin said. "Naturally, basic principles and institutions of democracy must be adapted to today's realities of Russian life, to our traditions and history."\nBush also reiterated U.S. opposition to Europe's plans to lift its 15-year arms embargo against China.\n"There is deep concern in our country that a transfer of weapons will be a transfer of technology, that it will change the balance of relations between China and Taiwan," Bush said.\nHe said he understands that the Europeans are working on a way to address U.S. worries about allowing China to modernize its military with arms and communications, intelligence and surveillance equipment that would give Beijing an edge over Taiwan.\n"They know the Congress is concerned," Bush said. "And so they'll try to develop a plan that will ease concerns. Now, whether they can or not, we'll see."\nBut French President Jacques Chirac, while stressing that security guarantees could be worked out, indicated that Europe remains steadfast in its desire to end the ban. \n"We intend to lift the last obstacles in our relations (with China), and this within a spirit of responsibility," he said.