Bush meets with next UN chief

U.S. President George W. Bush met on Tuesday with UN Secretary-General-designate Ban Ki-moon, discussing the reform of the world body and the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Bush told Ban, currently South Korea's foreign minister, of his determination to maintain peace in Northeast Asia, White House spokesman Tony Snow said.

Bush also urged Ban "to address UN management and reform issues and promised U.S. help during his tenure in making the UN more effective," Snow said.

Ban is leaving for Seoul Tuesday night and will meet U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice there, Snow said.

Ban, appointed by the UN General Assembly on Friday as the eighth secretary-general in the UN's 60-year history, is to succeed Kofi Annan who steps down on Dec. 31, 2006.

Source: Xinhua