Lee, Bush, Aso to meet Saturday over global financial crisis

LIMA, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, U.S. President
George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso will hold a three-way summit
on Saturday to discuss closer cooperation over the global financial crisis and
North Korean nuclear problem, Lee's spokesman said Thursday.

Prior to the tripartite summit, to be held on the sidelines of the annual
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru, Lee and Bush will hold bilateral
talks to fine-tune their stance on the pending international issues, said
spokesman Lee Dong-kwan. Bilateral talks between Bush and Aso are scheduled to
take place after the three-way meeting.
"Lee and Aso will hold separate bilateral talks with Bush before and after their
tripartite summit. Lee's summit with Bush will likely be their farewell meeting,"
said spokesman Lee. Bush's term ends in January.
This will mark the first time in two and a half years that the three countries
have held such a summit. In November 2006, Lee's predecessor, Roh Moo-hyun, held
a three-way summit with Bush and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, also on
the sidelines of the APEC event.
President Lee arrived in Lima earlier on Thursday to begin his two-day state
visit to Peru ahead of the APEC summit set to take place Saturday and Sunday.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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