*EPF203 11/09/2004
Text: President Bush Will Attend APEC Leaders' Meeting
(Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum to be held in Santiago Nov. 20-21) (230)

President Bush will attend the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Santiago, Chile, on November 20 and 21, the White House announced in a November 9 statement. APEC is the premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

The president will remain in Santiago after the APEC meeting for an official visit with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos.

Following is the full text of the White House announcement:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
November 9, 2004

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

President Bush will attend the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Santiago, Chile from November 20-21. APEC is a unique forum that bridges the Pacific and links the world's most dynamic and fastest growing economies. President Bush looks forward to working with APEC Leaders to promote free trade, economic growth, and deepen our security cooperation to ensure our continued prosperity.

Following the APEC Leaders' Meeting, President Bush will remain in Santiago for an official visit with Chilean President Lagos. The two presidents, who last met on July 19 in the Oval Office, will discuss important regional and bilateral issues and explore ways to deepen cooperation, strengthen democratic institutions, and promote free trade in the Americas.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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