Trade, Darfur in Brown-Bush talks

Britain's new prime minister, Gordon Brown, hopes for progress towards tackling the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region and on advancing world trade talks at his first meeting with US President George W. Bush.

Briefing on the talks with Mr Bush at Camp David Mr Brown's spokesman barely mentioned Iraq, the issue that contributed to the early resignation of Tony Blair last month, although he said it would be one of the topics.

Speculation has been rife in the British media that Mr Brown could seek to distance himself from Tony Blair's policy on Iraq, but the spokesman said Mr Brown would not unveil any plan for an early withdrawal of British troops.