Berlin - US President George W Bush arrived in Berlin Tuesday at the start of a farewell visit to Germany, during which he is to hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

After being welcomed by a guard of honour at Berlin's Tegel Airport, Bush was flown by helicopter to Schloss Meseberg, the government guesthouse north of the German capital where he was to spend the night as Merkel's guest.

The US president arrived from an EU-US summit in the Slovenian resort of Brdo, where he pushed for more stringent sanctions on Iran to halt its uranium enrichment programme.

Bush and Merkel were to have talks over dinner together Tuesday and to continue their discussions on international affairs Wednesday morning before holding a press conference.

Bush is on a final trip through Europe, that takes in Rome, Paris, London and Belfast. (dpa)