BRUSSELS — Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt will meet US President George W. Bush during a trip to America in the New Year.

Verhofstadt plans to visit the US from 16-19 January to promote the new Belgian company tax system which aims to attract new foreign investors.

He already had appointments lined up in New York and Chicago. He is now scheduled to meet with Bush at the White House in Washington on 17 January.

The meeting comes almost a year after Bush visited Brussels in February this year, broadcaster VRT reported on Wednesday.

Verhofstadt’s office said the agenda of the meeting still needs to be finalised, but some transatlantic issues are expected to be up for discussion.

These include joint US-Belgian intentions to co-operate further on projects to improve democracy and prosperity levels across the globe.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news