US President George W Bush has preached a message of "free markets, free trade and free people" at his last international summit.

Bush is pledging to use his remaining time in office to work toward a successful conclusion of the Doha world trade talks.

"I recognize that I'm leaving office in two months but nevertheless this administration will push hard to put the modalities in place so that Doha can be completed and so we send a message we refuse to accept protectionism in the 21st century." Bush said in a speech to business leaders at a summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

The Group of 20 developed and developing country leaders meeting last week in Washington "expressed solidarity with the idea of completing Doha, and now we've got to put those words into action," Bush told the executives before heading into closed-door meetings with APEC heads of state.

The APEC summit, which groups 21 economies from the Asias and the Americas around the Pacific, comes as world leaders are struggling to restore global economic health in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

"I think we ought to focus our efforts on three great forces for economic growth: free markets, free trade and free people," the U.S. president told the business leaders.

Bush welcomed Peru and Australia's decision to join the United States, Singapore, Chile and Brunei in negotiating a regional free trade trade pact.

He lashed out at Congress for failing to approve three free trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama before adjourning this week.

The APEC leaders are expected to focus on common actions that countries can take to address the financial crisis and prevent another one from happening.

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