Africa to take center stage during Bush's visit to Denmark

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen will discuss Africa with George W. Bush during the US President's visit to Denmark, Ritzau news bureau reported on Tuesday.

"The time is now to increase our efforts to help raise Africa out of poverty," said Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

When he meets with US President Bush, he has five issues to bring up with him, and all of them deal with Africa, Ritzau said.

"This is going to be a visit that is heavily focused on Africa, " said the prime minister to Ritzau news service. "That's a result of the meeting taking place the same day as Bush leaves for Scotland for the G8 meeting, which has African development as one if its key themes."

According to Ritzau, the five points that Rasmussen, together with Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, will bring up with Bush are: a "strong and increased effort" to wipe out malaria and AIDS; free trade for developing nations; increasing developmental aid to Africa; helping African countries to manage their own local conflicts; and better governance.

Although Africa will take the center stage during the president 's trip to Denmark, Rasmussen said that other topics would of course be discussed.

"Denmark has prioritized Africa very highly, and we will put even more emphasis on it in the coming years. I was in Washington as recently as May, so the rest has already been discussed, but, of course, the situation in Iraq will also come up," Rasmussen said.

Bush is scheduled to arrive in Denmark on Tuesday evening and will stay through Wednesday.

In addition to meeting with the prime minister, he is also scheduled to attend an official lunch with Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II.

Meanwhile, thousands of police and protesters were on the job Tuesday in Denmark, where Bush was making a brief visit before the G8 summit in Edinburgh.

Denmark's government has supported Bush, but a new poll showed only 13 percent of the Danish people doing the same.

"Bush is not welcome here," said one protest organizer, Arne Lund, who planned a peaceful torch vigil outside the Fredensborg Palace north of Copenhagen, where Bush was to stay.

The palace, built in 1722 and normally open to the public, was turned into a virtual fortress for the Bush visit, cordoned off by concrete road blocks and barbed wire.

Danish police also underwent special training because of fears a suicide bomber would try to attack Bush during his visit.

Source: Xinhua