Brown in US for first meeting with Bush

CAMP DAVID, Maryland(AFP) - US President George W. Bush greeted Britain's new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, at his retreat Sunday for their first official meeting with Iraq, Darfur and stalled global trade talks expected to top the agenda. Brown, who succeeded Tony Blair on June 27, landed earlier outside Washington and headed straight to Bush's Camp David, Maryland retreat for a private dinner. Before arriving, Brown again moved to quash speculation that he was to distance London from Washington because of lingering resentment over Iraq. Describing himself as an "Atlanticist" and a "great admirer of the American spirit of enterprise and national purpose," Brown said he wanted "to do more to strengthen even further our relationship with the US." "It is firmly in the British national interest that we have a strong relationship with the United States, our single most important bilateral relationship," he said in a statement. Brown said he intended to "affirm the historic partnership of shared purpose that unites our two countries." His spokesman, Michael Ellam, said Darfur and the stalled World Trade Organization (WTO) talks would top the Brown-Bush agenda.
But he said Iraq, which controversially united Bush and Blair in launching military action in 2003, would still be on the table when the pair hold talks at Camp David on Sunday and Monday.
Ellam earlier rejected a report in The Sunday Times newspaper that Brown's foreign policy adviser, Simon McDonald, had sounded out the White House about a possible withdrawal of Britain's 5,500-strong force from southern Iraq. "Simon McDonald made it clear at the meeting (with US advisers) that the British government's position has not changed," he said. Brown has ruled out any withdrawal until the security conditions are right. On the WTO talks, Ellam said Brown wants world leaders to remain "fully engaged" on liberalizing trade and had talked with the leaders of Brazil, China, India and South Africa recently, urging them to give it "top priority." Talks are in deadlock but chief negotiators have said they intend to raise the pressure for a compromise deal in September on removing trade barriers.
"We're actually quite close, in principle, to a deal," said Ellam.
On Darfur, which Brown last week described as "one of the great humanitarian disasters of our generation," the prime minister is keen to work with Bush to urge more action.
Official sources from London said Brown was coming with a five-point plan for the war-torn Sudanese region already agreed last week with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The points include support for a UN resolution for a hybrid UN-African Union force going into Darfur as soon as possible, an immediate ceasefire to reenergize the peace process, and a economic aid package for the region's short-term recovery. London sources said Brown had also discussed the plan with the leaders of Germany, South Africa and China, as well as Bush.
Brown is also supportive of Bush's recent move to impose unilateral restrictions on Sudan. But his visit, just over a month since taking office, is being keenly watched for any signs of divergence from the close relationship between Bush and Blair.
Brown said Sunday the two countries' shared history, values and ideals "bind" them together -- and were ideal for facing modern challenges such as nuclear proliferation, poverty, climate change and global extremism. "In this century, it has fallen to America to take center stage," he said. "America has shown by the resilience and bravery of its people from (the attacks of) September 11 (2001) that while buildings can be destroyed, values are indestructible. "And we should acknowledge the debt the world owes to the United States for its leadership in this fight against international terrorism."