Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Bush Continues to Lobby Foreign Leaders Against Iraq
US President George W. Bush on Tuesday continued his efforts to lobby foreign leaders against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in a bid to seek international support for a possible US military actions.
US President George W. Bush on Tuesday continued his efforts to lobby foreign leaders against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in a bid to seek international support for a possible US military actions.
Following meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair last weekend and with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien on Monday, Bush on Tuesday met with Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso at the White House.
Speaking to reporters before his formal talks with Bush, Barroso indicated that the US should listen to opinions of other countries before making a final decision on Iraq.
"It is very important that the United States and President Bush listen to the opinions of their close allies," Barroso said.
"I think that when there are global threats that have a global response, we must act globally," he added.
Bush, who had earlier suggested that the US may go unilaterally on Iraq, responded: "I'm going to listen."
Briefing reporters earlier Tuesday, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Bush had a busy schedule in the day and was also expected to phone Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and Mexican President Vicente Fox.
Talking about Bush's scheduled speech on Iraq to the United Nations on Thursday, Fleischer said that "people around the world will have a very full and clear sense of what the president thinks after the speech is given."