President George W Bush has sought to play down any suggestion of a rift in relations between the US and Europe at the start of his visit to France. After talks in Paris with French President Jacques Chirac, Mr Bush told reporters that both France and America would continue to fight people who hated freedom. He praised France as a "decisive ally" and called Mr Chirac a good friend - both to him personally and to the US. However some differences were highlighted as the French leader brought up the subject of trade disputes over US steel tariffs and farm subsidies, saying real answers were needed. Several thousand demonstrators turned out in Paris to protest after Mr Bush arrived on his two-day visit. The US president flew into the French capital at the end of a visit to Russia which culminated in the signing of an agreement to cut nuclear warheads by two-thirds.