New visitors to the United States might not make North Dakota their first choice of the 50 states, but that's one of the reasons a group of 25 Germans chose Bismarck as a place to discuss world issues with Americans.

All this week, 25 Germans and 25 Americans from the group, Atlantik-Brucke (Atlantic Bridge), are in Bismarck to foster good relations, exchange ideas and debate complex issues facing the world.

Walther Leisler Kiep, honorary chairman of Atlantik-Brucke, said the conferences have normally been held in large cities along the coasts of the United States.

"We wanted to have this conference in one of the states that is not a usual state that Europeans visit,"Kiep said.

Kiep said North Dakota's conservative political climate and the importance of religion on the state's culture also were reasons the group came to Bismarck.

He said American-German relations have improved noticeably since President Bush was re-elected because of a more open exchange with the State Department and a multilevel approach to solving problems.

However, Kiep said most Germans are still opposed to going to war in Iraq because they are reluctant to accept that war is an acceptable way to reach a goal that can't otherwise be reached.

Most of the meetings take place at the Radisson Inn, but they are not open to the public.

Rep. Dave Weiler, R-Bismarck, said the sessions are not public because the group has a full schedule and most of the participants haven't met each other.

Business people representing worldwide companies, including Daimler-Chrysler, and journalists from the German media and CNN are taking part in discussions. Wolfgang Ischinger, the German ambassador to the United States, will be a guest speaker on Thursday.

After discussing the European Union's effect on Germany, the group toured Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park on Tuesday and took a riverboat cruise on the Missouri River.

Kiep was impressed with North Dakota's summer scenery.

"We found that North Dakota in the summer is simply beautiful,"he said.

Today the group will be taking a tour of the Capitol before boarding a bus for Medora.

(Reach reporter Tom Rafferty at 223-8482 or tom.rafferty@;bismarcktribune.com)