Mixed results for Bush on Asia tour

PRESIDENT George W Bush pressed for closer Asian partnerships in the war on terrorism, carrying his appeal yesterday to free-trade partner Singapore and planning for a visit to Bali, Indonesia, under unusually tight security precautions.

The US president arrived in Singapore from an economic summit in Thailand, where regional leaders pledged to intensify their crackdown on terror groups and to curb the spread of unconventional weapons.

But Mr Bush failed to win explicit endorsement by the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum for a new US-led diplomatic initiative to end a year-long nuclear standoff with North Korea.