Paris ? Laura Bush ushered the United States back into the U.N.’s main cultural agency Monday and urged the organization to work to make education accessible to all the world’s children as a weapon against terrorism.

She also offered a firm defense of U.S. policies in Iraq, an issue that has divided the White House administration from many of the countries represented at the meeting of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

On the second day of a five-day foreign trip, Mrs. Bush visited President Jacques Chirac and attended an evening reception at the residence of U.S. Ambassador Howard Leach. She leaves early today for Moscow to attend a book festival sponsored by Lyudmila Putin, wife of the Russian president.

Chirac joined Bush at her limousine in the gravel palace courtyard and bent low to kiss her hand. Aides said discussions in his palace office stuck mostly with pleasantries.

With both aware of the tensions between the French and U.S. governments about the American-led war in Iraq, Chirac seemed determined to wear his most charming, welcoming face, a White House official said.

For instance, when Leach mentioned Iraq, Chirac said quickly, “Let bygones be bygones — we all agree we need to rebuild Iraq,” then quickly steered the conversation to Bush’s travel plans and charity work, the official said.

Mrs. Bush likewise appeared eager to take on the role of emissary of good will between America and France, telling reporters traveling with her later that she of course agreed with Chirac’s Iraq comments.

“I fully expect the relationship between the United States and France will continue to be very strong,” she said. “Sure, we’ll have disagreements, but we’ll have disagreements with a lot of people but continue to have strong relationships.”

Rejoining UNESCO

French President Jacques Chirac, right, kisses the hand of American first lady Laura Bush upon her arrival at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Laura Bush was in France on Monday to attend ceremonies marking America's re-entry to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

But though discussion of Iraq went no further with Chirac, it figured prominently in Mrs. Bush’s remarks at the UNESCO gathering.

“Surely we can agree that rebuilding (Iraq) … is in all of our best interests,” she said in a speech that received only intermittent, polite applause. “The presence of a peaceful, stable Iraq at the heart of the Middle East will be a powerful beacon for freedom — and example of hope — in that vital region.”

After her speech, Mrs. Bush also met briefly with Iraq’s minister of education, Alaudin Abdul-Saheb al-Alwan.

Promoting U.S. deeds

Seeking to spread some good news about U.S. activities in Iraq and around the world, she announced the U.S. government plans to reopen by next fall the American School in Kabul, Afghanistan, a country where 1.5 million children lack buildings or teachers to go to school, and talked of U.S. military efforts in Iraq to refurbish 1,600 schools and reopen more than 80 percent of primary and secondary institutions. She also touted Bush administration plans to spend $15 billion on combating AIDS in poor countries over the next five years.

The main focus of her address was education and its role in fighting “an ideology of hate and violence” that Bush said has bred terror attacks worldwide.