Britains's Cameron hopes to meet Bush

Photo: Britains's Cameron hopes to meet Bush

Britain’s Conservation party’s leader, David Cameron, says he hopes to meet President George W. Bush for talks during a visit to Washington this week.

Discussions with Bush would cap Cameron's rise from political novice to potential British prime minister, burnishing his statesman's credentials.

Cameron's staff hope Bush will agree to a request for a meeting during a White House visit Thursday.

"He hopes to meet senior administration officials," said a Conservative party spokeswoman, on condition of anonymity in line with party policy. "But we can't confirm or deny if he will meet with the president."

Talks could rehabilitate relations between the traditionally allied Republican and Conservative parties - a link that has waned as Bush embraced ex-Labour chief Tony Blair.

Cameron, who joined Parliament in 2001 and became party leader in 2005, will hold talks with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday in New York.