Chancellor Merkel Gets the Bush Treatment on Global Warming

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of George Bush's celebrated new best buddies on the world scene, is now finding out what Tony Blair took years to learn: Partnership with Bush is a one-way street.

As leaders of wealthy nations converged Wednesday at a Baltic resort for their annual summit meeting, the White House held firm against long-term targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, effectively blocking a major priority of the meeting's host, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.

Merkel is one of the closest allies of President George W. Bush in Europe, and the two emerged from a working lunch Wednesday attempting to present a united front. But the German chancellor did not look pleased as she conceded that more work must be done before the Group of 8 nations can reach agreement on how they will address climate change.