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Bush in Vietnam for Apec summit Apec summit to push trade talks
(about 9 hours later)
US President George W Bush has arrived in Vietnam for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit, expected to focus on trade relations. Asian-Pacific leaders are expected to tackle a deadlock in global trade talks at a key regional summit on Saturday.
Mr Bush has called on the 21-nation forum to put stalled world trade talks back on track. North Korea's nuclear activities will also be discussed. Delegates from 21 nations will also focus on the North Korean nuclear crisis at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum.
Mr Bush later held talks with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, focused on the situation in Iraq. US President George W Bush is attending the two-day talks in Vietnam, where he will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao.
And he will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao, also in Vietnam for the summit. World Trade Organization (WTO) talks collapsed in July after countries failed to reach agreement on subsidies.
'Ambitious agreement'
The global WTO talks were meant to boost free trade for the benefit of developing countries.
History lessons on Hanoi's streets for President BushIn pictures
But an inability by the US and Europe to agree over how to reduce agricultural subsidies caused the talks to stall in the so-called Doha round.
Apec's trade and foreign ministers have agreed to press their leaders to issue a statement on trade in the course of the conference.Apec's trade and foreign ministers have agreed to press their leaders to issue a statement on trade in the course of the conference.
World Trade Organization talks on free trade have been stalled since July, after countries failed to reach agreement on subsidies in the so-called Doha round. "Only an ambitious Doha agreement with real market access can achieve the economic growth and development goals that this world has set," Mr Bush said in Singapore before heading to Hanoi.
The forum in the Vietnamese capital is also expected to focus on economic security threats and the North Korean nuclear crisis.
On North Korea, Mr Bush has urged regional countries to make it clear that any North Korean proliferation of nuclear technology to terrorists or hostile regimes "would not be tolerated".
On arrival in Hanoi, Mr Bush said he would seek the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea.
He also vowed to maintain strong US engagement in Asia and is urging regional leaders to consider a free trade area.
He will hold bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, among others.
Kyoto alternativesKyoto alternatives
href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_vietnam_visit/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_vietnam_visit/html/1.stm', '1163773741', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;">History lessons on Hanoi's streets for President Bush href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_vietnam_visit/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/asia_pac_vietnam_visit/html/1.stm', '1163773741', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures Mr Bush said he felt amazed to be in Vietnam given the two countries' difficult history, following his arrival on Friday.
On arrival, Mr Bush said he felt amazed to be in Vietnam given the two countries' difficult history. href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6157116.stm" class="">Hanoi gets set for big day href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6150406.stm" class="">China challenges US at forum
But after meeting Mr Howard, he rejected any comparison between the Iraq situation and the US defeat in the Vietnam war. He held talks with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, focused on the situation in Iraq.
He said he would consult Australia over any repositioning of troops in Iraq.He said he would consult Australia over any repositioning of troops in Iraq.
"We've got a lot of people looking at different tactical adjustments - once I make up my mind what those will be, I'll share it with [Mr Howard] right off the bat," he said.
"We're not leaving until this job is done, until Iraq can govern, sustain and defend itself," he added.
The two leaders also discussed climate change. Mr Howard had promised to seek support for alternatives to the Kyoto Protocol.The two leaders also discussed climate change. Mr Howard had promised to seek support for alternatives to the Kyoto Protocol.
Meanwhile New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark urged Apec leaders to include climate change on their agenda, warning of "dire" consequences if action was delayed.Meanwhile New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark urged Apec leaders to include climate change on their agenda, warning of "dire" consequences if action was delayed.
Mr Bush also held meetings with Vietnamese leaders, and is being entertained at a state banquet in the evening.
Hanoi gets set for big day China challenges US at forum
Arriving in Hanoi earlier, Mr Bush said he would seek the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea.
Mr Bush has also vowed to maintain strong US engagement in Asia and is urging regional leaders to consider a free trade area.
He will hold bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, among others.
Vietnamese disappointment
Mr Bush suffered a setback ahead of his trip when a historic bill to normalise trade with communist Vietnam failed in the House of Representatives.
That has disappointed his Vietnamese hosts, says the BBC's Bill Hayton in Hanoi, since American companies are now the biggest investors in Vietnam.
Hanoi is also seeking to develop its ties with other Asian countries, our correspondent says, particularly with China to the north.
Vietnam's strong economic growth mean competition for its affections is becoming more intense, he adds.
Mr Bush has said he expects the bill to pass eventually.
He is only the second US president to visit Vietnam since the conflict between the two countries ended.