United States President George Bush (left) shaking the hand of new Belize Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, on Thursday in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, while Prime Minister David Thompson looks on. (GP)

WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush praised the prime ministers of Barbados, The Bahamas, and Belize on Thursday as "three of our ... neighbourhood's strong leaders" and assured them their region was important to the United States.

The Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, making his fourth visit to the White House, spoke for himself and his colleagues David Thompson of Barbados and Dean Barrow of Belize. Ingraham said the Caribbean leaders told Bush of "a desire on our part to have the Caribbean Basin Initiative Act extended". The trade agreement expires this September.

Talking about United States-Caribbean relations, Bush said: "We oftentimes talk about dealing with the Middle East or dealing on the continent of Africa, but it was important for these leaders to know that we believe that a good, strong, healthy, vibrant neighbourhood is in the interests of the United States."

Tourism apparently took up much of the conversation among the four. (AP)