PARIS, Feb 8: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday flew into France, the centre of opposition to the invasion of Iraq, and urged the French to bury past disagreements and open "a new chapter" in the transatlantic alliance.

"This is a time of unprecedented opportunity for our transatlantic partnership," Ms Rice said in a speech at a prestigious political studies institute - the centrepiece of her inaugural eight-nation tour of Europe.

Condoleezza Rice also welcomed a stronger and more unified Europe, but made it clear that Washington views the European Union as a partner and not as a counterweight to US power.

The chief US diplomat made no explicit defense of the invasion of Iraq. She put the accent on moving forward after the success of the Jan 30 elections.

"We have not always seen eye-to-eye," Ms Rice told the audience of 500 gathered in the Institute of Political Studies. "We have had our disagreements.

"It is time to turn away from the disagreements of the past. It is time to open a new chapter in our relationship, and a new chapter in our alliance."

She urged a dialogue to establish a common agenda on issues ranging from terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation to the Middle East, development and the spread of democracy around the world.

"America stands ready to work with Europe on our common agenda, and Europe must stand ready to work with America. After all, history will surely judge us not by our old disagreements but our new achievements."

Aides to Ms Rice said she chose Paris for the crowning speech of her first trip as secretary of state because of its intellectual milieu and its place in the vanguard of opposition to the invasion and to a dominating US presence in the world.

"The US welcomes the growing unity of Europe. America has everything to gain from having a stronger Europe as a partner in building a safer, and a better world," Ms Rice said.

"So let each of us bring to the table ideas, experience, and resources, and let us discuss and decide - together - how best to employ them for democratic change."

She urged the transatlantic alliance to fulfil its traditional role of working for freedom. "In our time we have an historic opportunity to shape a global balance of power that favours freedom - and that will therefore deepen and extend the peace," she said.

Ms Rice made no direct reference to the invasion of Iraq or Saddam Hussein, but called on the international community to build on the Iraqi national assembly elections.

"There is much more to do to create a unified and democratic Iraq, and Iraqis themselves must lead the way," she said. "But we in the transatlantic partnership must rise to the challenge the Iraqi people have set for us," she said.

ME CONFLICT: Ms Rice also said that Europe and the US had identical interests in helping speed an end to the Middle East conflict, after the first summit between Israel and the Palestinians in four years produced agreement on a ceasefire.