Military

DATE=10/23/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH / HAWAII (S-O)

NUMBER=2-308963

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

// HOLD FOR C-N NOTICE OF BUSH DEPARTURE FROM AUSTRALIA //

INTRO: President Bush is following his six-nation tour of Asia with a stop in Hawaii to raise money for next year's presidential election. V-O-A's Scott Stearns reports from Australia's capital, Canberra.

TEXT: President Bush met with Australian troops who fought alongside American forces in Iraq and he laid a wreath at the country's war memorial, in honor of an Australian special forces sergeant who died in Afghanistan.

Mr. Bush and the first lady then left for Hawaii and a series of fundraisers for next year's presidential election. They will visit the Pearl Harbor memorial and meet with survivors of the World War Two attack. Mr. Bush will get a briefing from American military commanders before returning to Washington.

That concludes this trip, which has been dominated by talk of fighting terrorism and trying to convince North Korea to give-up its nuclear-weapons program. Mr. Bush discussed trade issues at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Thailand.

He also visited Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia.

(SIGNED)

NEB / SS / WD