"I really hope that after the election of President Bush -- and we all congratulate him on that -- that he will invest in good relations with the European countries," Balkenende said at the conclusion of an EU summit here.

"We share the same values and Europeans are convinced that if we want to fight against terrorism, if we want to fight against the problems in parts of the world, the struggle against poverty, all these issues make it necessary that the United States and the European Union... are working together," he told a news conference.

Ties between the Bush administration and many EU member countries have soured badly in recent years over differences on issues including the Iraq war, global warming and the International Criminal Court.

Balkenende noted that most European leaders had congratulated Bush on his victory Tuesday over Democratic challenger John Kerry.

"We are looking forward to these close ties with the United States because we have a shared responsibility for worldwide issues," he said.

At his first post-election press conference, Bush pledged to work closely with "those who share our goals" and pointed to the war on terrorism he declared after the September 11, 2001 attacks as a unifying force.

"I'll continue to reach out to our friends and allies, our partners in the EU and NATO, to promote development and progress, to defeat the terrorists and to encourage freedom and democracy as alternatives to tyranny and terror," he said.

On Friday the EU leaders issued a summit declaration stating the importance of US ties following Bush's re-election and signaling their hope they could work with Washington within "multilateral institutions".

"Our close transatlantic partnership, based on shared values, is fundamental for Europe's approach to building international peace, security and prosperity," they said.

"Our deep political, economic and cultural ties make us each other's natural and indispensable partners.

"The EU and its member states look forward to working very closely with President Bush and his new administration to combine efforts, including in multilateral institutions, to promote the rule of law and create a just, democratic and secure world."

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