Berlin hails Bush's inauguration speech

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder welcomed US President George W. Bush's inauguration speech in which he pledged the US will help other countries in the world to "find their voice" on the path to freedom.

Schroeder hailed Bush's stance and planned to discuss it at length in talks between the two leaders in Mainz, Germany, on Feb.23, said Schroeder's spokesman Bela Anda.

In his inaugural address on the steps of Capitol Hill in Washington DC on Friday, Bush said: "America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling. Our goal, instead, is to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom and make their own way."

Local media in Germany reported that Schroeder was gratified that Bush stressed the US' intention to consult its allies on any major issues affecting the world before decisions are made.

The leader of Germany's biggest opposition party, Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Union, called for "a new unity between the US and Europe." Friday's edition of the Bild newspaper reported that Merkel said: "Only together can we overcome the challenges of a globalized world." Source: Xinhua