"The United States and Germany will expand and strengthen their activities to improve energy supply security and to reduce environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in three main areas and with them, also encourage greater economic growth," the draft German-language statement obtained by AFP said.

The document listed the three areas as being joint efforts to develop ecological and efficient technology to promote sustainable development, cooperation on climate research and the development of "effective instruments" for national climate policy as well as joint measures to promote energy efficiency and reduce pollution.

The declaration, which contained no specific targets, said that Germany and the United States would continue their efforts in the context of an action plan on sustainable development by the Group of Eight industrialized nations.

The United States, the top international polluter, and the European Union have been at odds over the environment after Washington pulled out of the Kyoto Protocol, which commits 34 industrialized countries to cutting greenhouse gas output to curb global warming.

Bush is on a one-day visit to Germany as part of a fence-mending European tour.

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