The United States remains broadly disliked in most countries polled, although anti- Americanism in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, which surged as a result of the US war in Iraq, shows modest signs of abating, according to the result of a latest Pew survey published on Thursday.

Especially, the US image remains worst in the Muslim world.

Solid majorities in five predominantly Muslim countries polled still express unfavorable views of the Untied States, with Jordan's favorability ratings standing at just 21 percent, Turkey and Pakistan at 23 percent respectively, according to the survey.

The other two Muslim nations surveyed are Indonesia and Lebanon.

The result of survey by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, which was conducted among nearly 17,000 people in 16 countries from April 20 to May 31, was released here on Thursday.

The survey also found that most Western countries want their countries to take a more independent approach from the US on diplomatic and security affairs than it has in the past. For instance, 57 percent of Canadians, up from 43 percent two years ago, favor their country taking a more independent approach from the US.

Iraq war still draws broad international opposition and there is scant optimism that the elections in Iraq last January would foster stability in the country, the findings showed.

Even the American public now has diminished expectations that the Iraqi election would lead to a more stable situation in Iraq, the survey added.

On the question how to see the American people, the survey showed that majorities in most Western countries polled associate Americans with the positive characteristics such as "honest," " inventive" and "hardworking," while at the same time, substantial numbers also associate Americans with negative traits such as " greedy" and "violent."

China, as the survey indicated, now has a better image than the United States in most of the European nations surveyed. China enjoys favorability ratings of 58 percent in Canada, 65 percent in Britain, 58 percent in France, 57 percent in Spain, 56 percent in Netherlands, 60 percent in Russia and 46 percent in Germany.

The Pew Global Attitudes Project is co-chaired by former US Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and former Senator John C. Danforth.

The survey was conducted in, other than the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Russia, Poland, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Lebanon, Jordan, India and China.

Source: Xinhua