Bush invites Southeast Asian leaders to Texas

SYDNEY, Sep 7 (Reuters) US President George W Bush today offered to host a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders at his Texas ranch, as he sought to counter perceptions that he was not paying enough attention to the region.

The US president also said he planned to name an ambassador to the 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations.

''I've invited the ASEAN leaders to Texas at their convenience,'' Bush said after a lunch with seven of the ASEAN leaders on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific economic summit in Sydney. He said he wanted to make sure his ties with the Southeast Asian countries remained ''firmly entrenched''.

Bush cited democracy issues, counterterrorism, trade and climate change as among the issues that could be discussed at the meeting.

Critics contend Bush's focus on the Iraq war and the Middle East has left him too distracted to give enough attention to Asian issues.

Bush has dismissed that criticism, saying he has solid relationships with key players in the region and regularly attends the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summits.

Bush had initially considered a trip to Singapore to meet ASEAN leaders as part of his visit to the region this week, but the trip was dropped because of preparations for a report on Iraq that Bush needs to deliver to Congress by September 15.

The White House promised that Bush would find an alternative time to meet the ASEAN leaders.

In August, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cancelled a planned trip to the Philippines for an ASEAN security meeting. She went to the Middle East instead.

Bush tends to reserve invitations to his cherished 1,600-acre (647 hectares) Texas ranch for important allies.

ASEAN groups together Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

REUTERS ARB DS1132