Mbeki, Bush meet to discuss stronger ties

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Aiming for a stronger relationship with South Africa, U.S. President George W. Bush said on Tuesday at the start of his two-day meeting with South African leader Thabo Mbeki in Washington that trade and bilateral ties would be on the agenda.

Mbeki met with Bush at the White House's Oval Office and later the two leaders continued their talks over lunch in the private residence.

When asked if the AIDS pandemic would figure into his talks with Mbeki, Bush said "it's an incredibly important part of our dialogue."

Mbeki will also meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Tuesday afternoon, who is also in Washington for talks with Bush.

It was the first time that Mbeki had met with Bush since the U.S. leader took office. The two met in Texas in May, 2000, while Bush was the state's governor. Mbeki has upset U.N. officials by not speaking in New York this week at a special session of the General Assembly on the topic of AIDS, although South Africa has a delegation at the conference.

The South African leader has questioned many of the medical treatments used to treat the virus and whether HIV causes AIDS, causing an outcry in the international community.

An estimated 4.2 million of South Africa's 45 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS, more than any other country. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

When asked about accusations that South Africa has not done enough to stop the spread of AIDS, Mbeki responded: "All I would say to that, really, is that people must look at what we are doing in South Africa, not their perception of what they think we are doing, but we are doing actually.

"And I don't think on the basis of facts an accusation like that can be sustained," he said.