Washington - Rising food and energy prices will be a top priority for the United States at the Group of Eight summit in Japan next week, US President George W Bush said Wednesday. Bush said he will press the countries to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, improve global health care, and seek ways to reduce greenhouse gases to combat global warming.
Bush said nations must agree to long-term strategies to address climate change.
"I'll be reminding people that we can have better energy security and we can be better stewards of the environment without sacrificing economic growth," Bush said, adding that major economic powers like China and India, which are attending climate change talks at the summit, must also be on board.
"All this is aiming, by the way, to develop a strategy in which major economies are a part of the strategy," Bush said. "Look, we can't have an effective agreement unless China and India are a part of it. It's as simple as that."
Bush departs Saturday for the July 7-9 summit of the world's leading industrialized democracies in Hokkaido, Japan. Those countries include Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States.
"We need people who not only make promises, but write checks for the sake of human rights and human dignity, and for the sake of peace," Bush said.
The president said he will also seek progress on the long running Doha trade talks designed to knock down trade barriers for under- developed nations to export products to the United States and European Union.
"We will work to tear down barriers to trade and investment around the world," Bush said.
Oil prices have reached record highs, causing a worldwide energy crunch and demands that petroleum-producing countries increase production. Bush said he will explore ways to lessen dependence on oil and develop new technologies for energy.
Bush has announced the United States will provide 1 billion dollars in food aid to alleviate high prices that have caused shortages in poorer countries.
"We have got to work to confront higher food prices," he said.
