UN's Ban says will press Bush on climate change

[Barrett808]

Source: Reuters

UN's Ban says will press Bush on climate change
By Claudia Parsons

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday he would press U.S. President George W. Bush over climate change when they meet in Washington on Tuesday.

Ban also said Darfur, Iraq and the Middle East would be high on the agenda on his visit, during which he will also meet members of Senate and House foreign affairs committees.

"The whole lot of issues will be discussed between me and President Bush -- geopolitical issues, climate changes, U.N. reform and also necessary fundings by the United States on peacekeeping operations," Ban told a news conference.

"On climate change, I'm encouraged by a high level of expectations as well as representation on that special high level meeting on Sept. 24," he said, referring to a conference on the environment that he has called for September on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly.

"I would like to discuss this matter with President Bush and would expect President Bush and the American administration will be represented at the highest possible level," Ban said.

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