WASHINGTON (AP) – For the first foreign trip of his second term, President Bush will travel to Europe in February to meet with European leaders, beginning with a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium.

The White House has described the roughly weeklong trip as an outreach to allies after differences over the war in Iraq and other issues.

The trip will begin with a Feb. 22 meeting of allied leaders at NATO, the White House said Thursday. In Brussels, Bush also will meet with leaders of the European Union as well as Belgian leaders. Bush will make additional stops in Europe that are to be announced later.

Bush also intends to meet with French President Jacques Chirac. The relationship between the two leaders has frayed because of disagreements over the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

At NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, Secretary of State Colin Powell said, “We recognize France as a partner, an ally and as an important trading partner with the United States.”

But, Powell told France 3 Television, “There are disagreements and Iraq was a major disagreement. Let there be no doubt.”

Still, Powell said Bush “hopes to mend these breaches that have opened in our relationship with France and some other countries.”

“That is why he is planning to come to Europe early in his next term,” Powell said.

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