Brown, Bush to hold first summit

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will have detailed talks with US president George Bush at his Camp David retreat today.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband and US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice will join the two leaders and other officials for wide-ranging discussions - with a special focus on world trade and halting the bloodshed in Darfur.

Mr Brown and Mr Bush had a private dinner last night in the President’s cabin at Camp David, as the Prime Minister sought to cement his personal relationship with Mr Bush.

En route to the Maryland base, Mr Brown told reporters: “I want to do more to strengthen even further our relationship with the US.

“It is our shared ideals that for two centuries have linked the destinies of our two countries together.”

He also went out of his way to praise Mr Bush for his “leadership in this fight against international terrorism”.

Mr Brown’s spokesman said the Premier and the president would discuss issues ranging from Iraq and Iran to climate change, but highlighted talks on trade and the crisis in the Sudan.

Britain and America, along with European allies, are pressing for a fresh United Nations resolution threatening sanctions against the Sudanese government unless it allows a UN and African Union peacekeeping force into the country to try to halt the civil strife which has already cost more than 200,000 lives.

Later today Mr Brown will travel to Capitol Hill for cross-party talks with Senate and Congressional leaders.

Later, on his first trip to the US since taking over at No.10, Mr Brown will also have talks this week with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon.

He will also deliver a keynote address at the UN on his vision of international relations, say British officials.