05/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - During his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday evening in Washington, US president George W. Bush said that he was prepared to invest in new energy technologies to fight against climate change. During a press conference with Merkel he declared, “”I assured the Chancellor that I've been committed to promoting new technologies that will promote energy efficiency, and at the same time do a better job of protecting the world's environment”. In a reference to the Kyoto Protocol (which was never ratified by the US), he asserted, “I believe there's a chance now to put behind us the old, stale debates of the past”. Merkel said that she was “delighted to hear that there is a readiness here” on the part of the US on this subject. (hb)