But the biggest cheers rang out for Mr Westerwelle, who supported the Gerhardt line in principle but spent much of his time heaping scorn on the Kohl camp.

ECONOMIST: Germany

The US, despite what its countless enemies think, is not a state that can simply declare its will, which is the very reason why we aren't wasting our time when we vocalise our scorn after Vice President Dick Cheney's wife plays hostess to the creators of 24 as if they were a school of philosophers.

BBC: A POINT OF VIEW