Two high-speed trains - a German one (left) and a French one - arrive side by side into Paris' Gare de l'Est, on Friday. The ICE 3, the German train, left from Frankfurt and the French train, the TGV, left from Stuttgart. The event comes ahead of the June 10 opening of France's newest high-speed line, the TGV East, opening up speedy service to cities in Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Lawmakers are trying to handle a sensitive issue in relations with European countries by expanding a programme that allows their citizens to travel to the United States without visas.

Even some of the countries who stand to benefit, however, are objecting that a bill passed in the Senate this week would be too restrictive.

President George W. Bush is travelling early next month to two of the countries seeking to join the programme, Poland and the Czech Republic.

The administration, which favours limited expansion of the programme, would like to reward allies who have been supportive in the Iraq war and in anti-terror cooperation.

visa waiver programme

At the same time, it worries that the visa waiver programme could make it easier for terrorists to enter the United States.

Under the Senate legislation, some citizens of the European Union's 27 member nations probably still would have to obtain visas before travelling to the United States.

A less-restrictive measure is being considered in the House of Representatives, and the two would have to be reconciled for a final version to be passed.

House hearing

U.S.officials were to appear Thursday at a House hearing on the issue.

The current programme allows citizens from most Western European countries and some from other parts of the world to enter the country without visas, but it excludes many of the newer EU member states.

Seven of the countries whose citizens are required to obtain visas have hired a Washington lobbying firm, Dutko Worldwide, to sway lawmakers. Those countries are Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.

- AP