Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=10/19/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH / IRAQ (S-O)

NUMBER=2-

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=BANGKOK

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Bush is in Thailand, where he is trying to encourage more nations to give money and troops for Iraq. V-O-A's Scott Stearns has more from Bangkok.

TEXT: Before arriving at economic summit here, President Bush picked up support on Iraq from Japan and South Korea. Japan has promised one-point-five-billion dollars to help rebuild the country. South Korea says it will send troops, although it has not yet decided how many.

Mr. Bush met with South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun Monday to discuss that deployment. Speaking through a translator, President Roh congratulated Mr. Bush on a new U-N resolution that Washington hopes will encourage more countries to contribute to Iraq.

/// ROH ACTUALITY IN TRANSLATION

I would like to commend the United States effort in bringing peace and democracy in Iraq.

And I would like to discuss with them how to reconstruct the economy there.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

President Roh is facing public opposition to sending South Korean troops to Iraq. The invasion was opposed by many of the nations attending this summit, but President Bush is hoping to convince leaders to contribute to Iraq at a donor's conference in Spain, later this week.

(SIGNED)

NEB/SS/WD