Blair to visit Bush ahead of G8

Tony Blair is eager for agreement at the G8 summit

Prime Minister Tony Blair will hold pre-G8 summit talks with US President George Bush in Washington next week, Downing Street has announced.

Mr Blair will be in the US capital on Monday and Tuesday.

Among issues to be discussed will be Africa, climate change, Iraq and the Middle East peace process.

The visit is part of a whirlwind tour of world leaders by Mr Blair in an effort to win support for his plans for Africa and climate change.

Britain took on the Presidency of the G8 at the start of the year, and the annual summit will be at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland from 6-8 July.

Mr Blair wants G8 countries to agree a debt relief package for Africa, and to boost economic reform and good governance.

The G8 comprises seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia.

Climate deadlock

A Downing Street spokesman said: "This visit is partly an opportunity for the prime minister to speak personally with President Bush about securing the progress we need to see on Africa and climate change at Gleneagles, just as he will be speaking to each of the other G8 leaders.

"They will also have a wide-ranging agenda of international issues to discuss including how we support the new Iraqi government in continuing democratic transition and the establishment of security forces, and reviewing progress on the Middle East peace process."

Earlier this month the BBC learned that the US was unlikely to accept Mr Blair's three-point plan for a new deal on climate change at the summit of industrialised nations.

President Bush's chief climate negotiator Harlan Watson said the science on climate was still uncertain and did not merit urgent action.

Mr Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown have also placed great emphasis on the UK-led Commission for Africa, with the prime minister saying reducing poverty on the continent was "the fundamental challenge of our generation".

Mr Blair plans to have talks with all seven other leaders ahead of the G8, beginning with his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi in Rome last week.

He will also visit Moscow and see French president Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. He will speak to his colleagues in Canada and Japan by video conference link.