WASHINGTON: Former South African leader Nelson Mandela and US President George Bush on Tuesday discussed ways to reduce Third World debt but did not raise their disagreement over Iraq, officials said. Mr Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, met Mr Bush at the White House during a private visit to the United States.

“The president was pleased to welcome president Mandela back to the White House,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. “The two leaders had a very good discussion.”

Mr McClellan said Mr Bush highlighted the US “commitment to helping on debt forgiveness” and how the topic would feature at the summit of the Group of Eight industrialised powers in Scotland in July.—AFP