Bush begins final Europe trip as president

George Bush on his farewell trip to Europe

Monday, 09, Jun 2008 12:00

US president George Bush is arriving in Europe today for a ten-day trip which will include visits to Britain, France and Germany.

The leader, now well into the last 12 months of his final term in office, will attend the European Union's summit with the US in Slovenia, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

The situation in Afghanistan and Iraq will be on the agenda, as will the apparently stalled Middle East peace process.

Mr Bush's White House officials will be keen to discuss wider global issues up for discussion at the G8 summit in Japan next month. These include the Doha trade talks, climate change, the world food price crisis and the fight against HIV/Aids and malaria.

National security adviser Stephen Hadley said the talks would incorporate "a broad agenda - a range of issues that reflect the breadth and depth of the relationship between the US and Europe, and the extent to which we are working together on a whole range of problems".

Downing Street said it would not be releasing any details about Mr Bush's trip to Britain.

The visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Marshall Plan, the US-funded initiative which helped European countries recover from the second world war. Mr Bush will also travel to Italy, the Holy See and Northern Ireland.