MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Security and trade in President Bush's agenda.

In his first overseas policy speech since been reelected US president George W. Bush, addressing the CEO APEC summit in Santiago de Chile on Saturday promised to keep strengthening freedom and democracy in the world and asked for a greater commitment in fighting terrorism.

"Building peace and prosperity" was the title of his speech to the over 400 top private businessmen from the 21 member countries of APEC who gathered to listen to the president of the United States.

Mr. Bush said that times when rich powerful countries favoured keeping poor countries underdeveloped are over because "all countries benefit from healthier economies", adding that ties between U S and APEC members "will continue to be very strong". "The Pacific has become an element of union", underlined President Bush.

As to the main guidelines of his coming policy, Mr. Bush talked about sharing prosperity and peace in the world, as well as increasing trade and offering the countries of the world a greater security.

He described democracy as a "fundamental right of nations", which is vehemently promoted and supported by the US, underlining that corruption is one of the main threats to emerging countries.

Freedom and terrorism were constantly in Mr. Bush's speech who insisted the world nowadays was safer than a few years ago, describing freedom as a vital tool to combat terrorism, a challenge which is extensive to the whole world. "We must make everything possible to defeat the killers", said Mr. Bush who thanked those countries supporting the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

President Bush emphasized in seeking more international backing to both persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambition and to take concrete steps to cripple terrorist networks around the world.

In an energetic call to North Korean president Kim Jong Il, President Bush stressed "Get rid of your nuclear weapons" and recalled that five APEC members are working positively to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. "In a safer world, business is safer", said Mr. Bush adding that terrorism is a threat for all the world's economies.

The US president promised that in his incoming four year mandate he will lead all efforts to promote world peace, prosperity and freedom.

Following the APEC summit with its final declaration this Sunday, President Bush said he would be travelling to Europe to strengthen relations.