Est. 1min 19-04-2002 (updated: 07-11-2012 ) Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Europeans are critical of US President George Bush’s Middle East policy, according to a poll by the Pew Research Center, conducted in Britain, France, Germany and Italy. Read more with Euractiv Greece continues to oppose Turkish participation in EU defence policyThe Greek government has announced that Greece will continue blocking any proposals allowing non-member Turkey to have a say in EU defence policy. Subscribe now to our newsletter EU Elections Decoded Email Address * Politics Newsletters BackgroundThe multinational survey, conducted in association with the International Herald Tribune and Council on Foreign Relations, shows that Europeans have a better opinion of President Bush than they did before the 11 September attacks, but they remain highly critical of the President, most of his policies, and what they see as his unilateral approach to international affairs. According to the survey, Americans approve of the overall US approach toward the Middle East, whilst people in France, Germany and Italy have been mostly critical of US policies in the region, with the British public split on this question. Many more Europeans than Americans express sympathy for the Palestinians. President Bush’s decision to impose tariffs on imports of foreign steel is condemned in Europe, but generally favoured in the US. On the other hand, Europeans express overwhelming support for the President’s decision to increase American aid to poor countries, while a much more modest majority of Americans approve of this action. The US-led war in Afghanistan enjoys strong approval among Europeans, and most believe that the US is not overreacting to the threat of terrorism. Even so, a large majority think that the US is not taking allied interests into account in conducting the war.
