Bush wraps up final global summit with confidence
President George W. Bush enlisted another bloc of world leaders Sunday in his effort to revive the world economy while still moving to expand free trade.
Wrapping up his final summit with foreign heads of government, Bush and the 20 other Pacific Rim leaders in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum confidently predicted that within 18 months they can overcome the financial crisis that threatens to plunge the world into recession.
President George W. Bush enlisted another bloc of world leaders Sunday in his effort to revive the world economy while still moving to expand free trade.
Wrapping up his final summit with foreign heads of government, Bush and the 20 other Pacific Rim leaders in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum confidently predicted that within 18 months they can overcome the financial crisis that threatens to plunge the world into recession. The optimistic forecast was added Sunday to their earlier agreements on steps they agree to take in response to the financial crisis.
Bush hoped to spur those long-stalled talks to agree before the end of the year on a broad framework for expanding free trade, but U.S. officials have feared other nations might hold back their best offers until after President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January.
Brief by The Associated Press
