US President George W Bush wrote to Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt to congratulate him both for stationing F-16 fighter aircraft in the Baltic states and for his continued efforts in the fight against terrorism, La Libre Belgique reported on Wednesday. Bush wrote to Verhofstadt on 29 March, but the letter has only now come to light, the newspaper continued, adding that Verhofstadt had replied to the US President.
Belgium sent the F-16s to patrol the Baltic states' airspace last week to coincide with the formal admission of the three former soviet republics- Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - into the Nato military alliance.
| Not that the Russians were going to do anything about it but make faces, but it sent a message. |
In his reply to Bush, Verhofstadt stressed efforts the European Union has taken to combat terrorism since the 11 March train bomb attacks in Madrid, which left 191 people dead and over 1,400 injured.
| Too little, too late, but it's a start. |
He also pointed out that Belgium recently pledged to double its military presence in Afghanistan to 600 men.
| Humm, I didn't know that. Thanks. |
Analysts say the exchange of letters is evidence of a continuing improvement in relations between Belgium and the US. |