Malaysia's PM plans meetings with Bush

Malaysia's PM plans meetings with Bush

MALAYSIA: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is
planning to meet U.S. President George W. Bush and the leaders of
Britain and France during visits to the United States and Europe
later this month, officials said on Sunday.

Abdullah's foreign tour is part of a plan to "introduce him to
world leaders" after he succeeded former Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad, who retired last October after 22 years in
power, said Abdullah's spokesman Azhar Osman.

Abdullah is expected to meet Bush at the White House on July
18, before traveling to Europe for talks with French President
Jacques Chirac on July 21 and British Prime Minister Tony Blair
the following day, Azhar told The Associated Press.

Their discussions would likely focus on bilateral ties and
Malaysia's role as the current chairman of the 57-member
Organization of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest
Islamic grouping, and the Non-Aligned Movement, comprising 116
mostly developing nations, Azhar said. --AP