Economy top of agenda as Brown meets Bush

Gordon Brown met with George Bush last July

Thursday, 17, Apr 2008 12:00

Gordon Brown will meet with US president George Bush today at the White House, with the global economy expected to dominate their agenda.

The pair will meet at the White House for a series of high-level talks, with Iraq also expected to be high on the list of topics discussed.

White House press secretary Dana Perrino said on Monday that Mr Brown and Mr Bush had "very good relationship" and a "good rapport" and said she expected the pair would discuss a number of issues including world hunger, counter-terrorism and non-proliferation.

Mr Brown last met with the US president on American soil in July 2007, after taking over from Tony Blair.

Some critics accused Mr Brown at the time of producing a distinctively lacklustre display, leading to questions being raised regarding his desire to work with the US and suggesting ties between the two countries may become weaker.

The prime minister spoke at the UN security council in New York on Wednesday where he accused Robert Mugabe of attempting to "steal" Zimbabwe's presidential election.

He has also appeared on US television, telling CBS News on Tuesday that he was "very pro-American".

"I'm very pro-American, and I've always been so. Ours is a very special relationship. I feel that American and Britain can achieve so much in the next few years," he said.

Mr Brown is expected to meet with all three candidates vying to replace Mr Bush as president of the US during his visit and will make a speech on foreign policy at the Kennedy Library in Boston on Friday before returning to London.