French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier on Wednesday called for "a new phase" of Europe-U.S. relations, strained because of disagreements over the war in Iraq and several trade issues. "It is a new phase that begins at an important moment for the world," Barnier told RTL radio. "Relations between the European Union and the United States have arrived at a key point." The French foreign minister, who replaced Dominique de Villepin earlier this year, stressed that "American confidence in the European project must be re-established". "The world needs several powers," he continued, sounding a familiar French theme. "They are number one. We are in the process of acquiring the elements and the will to be another great power."
