Bush to meet Manmohan during G-8 summit in Japan

Washington, Jul 6 (PTI) - US President George W Bush is
looking forward to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July
9 on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Hokkaido in Japan
where the two leaders are expected to discuss the nuclear deal
and other issues of mutual interest.
According to the White House, Bush will be meeting
Manmohan Singh on Wednesday at 7:40 am local time, Japan. The
leaders will again meet some fifty minutes later as part of a
"working breakfast" that Bush will have with Representatives
of the Outreach Group that includes India.
The progress in the nuclear deal is expected to dominate
the talks as Manmohan Singh is trying to sort out domestic
political problems over the agreement.
"The President looks forward to good discussions, not
only with leaders of the G8 but also with those of so-called
outreach group including India, China, Mexico, South Africa,
Australia, South Korea and Indonesia, besides the seven
African nations," Assistant to the President for International
Economic Affairs at the White House, Dan Price, told reporters
on way to Chitose, Japan.
"It is a very, very full agenda. There are issues of
development and disease, poverty alleviation, issues related
to the global economy, protectionism, the Doha Round,
investment liberalisation, oil prices," Price added.
"There are issues relating to food security and food
prices. There are issues relating to climate change. There's a
series of political and security issues relating to counter
terrorism and nonproliferation, as well as regional challenges
with respect to Zimbabwe, North Korea, Burma, Sudan, Middle
East, Iran, and a host of other issues facing these leaders,"
Price said.
The official added that Bush will be sending a "very
strong message on "confronting protectionism" especially
through the Doha Round.
"And he will underscore his commitment to push toward a
prompt conclusion of a balanced outcome in the Doha Round this
year, recognising that it requires contributions not only from
the G8 countries, but also from the major emerging economies"
the senior official remarked.
The White House Press Secretary Dana Perino maintained
that at the Major Economies Meeting, it would be possible for
the United States to lead where all the major economies are
still at the table was on climate change, and they're speaking
with one voice, in terms of we need to work together to solve
a problem.
"It is our shared responsibility and our shared solution
that will help get us there," she said.
"When it comes to specifics about how each country is
going to do that, that's a little bit harder. And people are
working on that in their own respective capitals. We're
working on it in ours. Just look at the debate over the past
several years, but most recently right there in the Senate, in
June. And other countries are starting to grapple with it,
including countries like India and China, and India last week
putting forward legislation," Perino said.
"So we are very pleased that this past year we've been
able to keep everyone together, cement that process, keep that
glued together," she added.