WASHINGTON, May 30: US President George Bush would like next week’s Group of Eight summit to focus on the world economy, not on the Iraq invasion, and hopes to work together with Israelis and Palestinians to achieve peace.

Talking to a group of reporters from Europe and the Middle East before his departure for Poland on Friday, Mr Bush told reporters his goals were “peace”, “prosperity” and “freedom”.

The US president will come across some of the biggest critics of the invasion of Iraq at the G8 summit in Evian, France, from June 1-3.

“The press corp is going to observe the G8 as a confrontational meeting,” Mr Bush said.

But he added that it was “absolutely not” the case.

“It’s an opportunity to talk with some who agreed on Iraq and some who did not about how we moved forward,” adding that he wanted to discuss how “we can achieve grand goals: the goal of peace, goal of freedom, goal of prosperity”.

He said he wanted the G8 summit to tackle the world economy, developing free trade, fighting terrorism, combating AIDS and famine in Africa.

Mr Bush’s desire was echoed on Thursday by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who called on the G8 powers in a letter to “set aside recent differences” over issues, including the Iraq invasion, and make a “concerted effort” to help the world’s poor nations.

President Bush will be meeting French President Jacques Chirac for the first time since tensions with Paris erupted over the invasion.—AFP