To stem global economic crisisL:

Obama calls for bold action

FRANCE: US President Barack Obama called on Tuesday for the world's leading countries to take "bold, comprehensive and coordinated action" to stem the global economic crisis when they meet at a G20 summit next week.

"We are living through a time of global economic challenges that cannot be met by half measures or the isolated efforts of any nation," Obama wrote in an opinion article published in the International Herald Tribune.

"Now, the leaders of the Group of 20 have a responsibility to take bold, comprehensive and coordinated action that not only jump-starts recovery, but also launches a new era of economic engagement to prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again," Obama wrote in the article distributed by Tribune Media Services.

Ahead of an April 2 meeting in London of 20 rich and rapidly developing nations, the United States has called for more stimulus spending while European leaders have emphasised the need for tighter banking supervision.

Obama, who has downplayed talk of any rift between the United States and Europe, noted that other countries have also pursued fiscal stimulus plans and made strong calls for increased financial supervision.

Paris,Tuesday, AFP