American president George W Bush faces the heat over his policy on climate change at an EU and US summit in Sweden.

Greeted by 25,000 protesters in Gothenburg, Bush's first meeting with the EU 15 leaders en masse is set to be dominated by a trans-Atlantic rift over his rejection of the Kyoto treaty on climate change.

Bush's view that the agreement to combat global warming is "unrealistic and not based on science" has infuriated EU leaders.

And earlier this week, EU leaders rejected Bush proposals for more research to be carried out in to the likely causes of climate change.

The Swedish EU presidency - and conference hosts - have "demanded that the issue be on the agenda" and described the US and Europe to be "very far removed from each other" on the Kyoto issue.

EU president, Goran Perrson, describes the Kyoto protocol, as a "necessary process" but is pessimistic on the summit's outcome.

"I am convinced we will agree to disagree about the substance," he said.

On his part, Bush will continue his "charm offensive", playing down rifts on global warming and missile defence to stress transatlantic agreement on "basic values".

But it will not just be highly publicised disagreements.

Both the EU and US are expected to make a joint statement on the Middle Eastern peace process and discuss European initiatives to broker talks between North and South Koreas.And the real business of the summit will be preparations to get a new round of WTO negotiations under way later this summer.

Both the EU and US are keen to ensure that future negotiations are not derailed by similar disputes to the long-running and bitter fight over bananas - now resolved.

Agreement will be sought on ongoing trade battles over US beef form hormone treated cattle and US subsidies to industrial goods.

The visit is the first by a US president in office to Sweden and the US entourage includes secretary of state Colin Powell, US trade representative Robert Zoellick, secretary of commerce Donald Evans, national security adviser, Condoleeza Rice and White House chief of staff, Andrew Card.

EU/US summit itinerary

11.00am George W. Bush and his delegation arrive.

Bilateral meeting between Bush and EU president Goran Persson.

Summit meeting between Bush, Persson, commission president Romano Prodi and representatives of "Transatlantic Business Dialogue" - an "informal" top-level group of European and American companies, currently headed by James Schrio, chief executive of PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Michael Treschow, president of Electrolux.

4.30pm Joint press conference.

Royal reception by the King and the Queen of Sweden.

7.00pm: Working dinner for Bush with EU heads of state and government.

7.00pm: Working dinner for US secretary of state, Colin Powell, with EU foreign ministers.