Brussels, 07/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The arrival of Barack Obama to the presidency of the USA on 20 January is expected to be accompanied by a resumption in the transatlantic dialogue, particularly on human rights, as sought by the European commissioner for justice, freedom and security, Jacques Barrot, and quoted by the newspaper La Croix. Mr Barrot concluded that “if, as the commissioner for transport, I was able to conclude an agreement on opening up trade in aviation with Norman Mineta, the only Democrat minster in the Bush administration, this is the exception that confirms the rule: that of a very closed administration, an America that still thinks unilaterally”. Barrot regretted that “as a citizen, I fear that history will judge the Bush years severely, marked by a quagmire in the Middle East and the irrational offensive against Iraq”. He added that “in the fight against terrorism, the protection of human rights has been put on the backburner. What happened at Guantanamo needs clarifying - CIA flights that were transitted through Europe. The transatlantic dialogue has not progressed”. (B.C./transl.rh)