Washington  - Rising food and energy prices will be a top priority for the United States at the Group of Eight summit in Japan next week, US President George W Bush said Wednesday.

Bush said he will press the countries to combat HIV/AIDS in Africa, improve global health care, and will urge other leaders to explore ways they can assist in the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. The summit will also address global warming, he said.

Bush departs Saturday for the July 7-9 summit of the world's leading industrialized democracies in Toyoka, Japan. Those countries include Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States.

"We need people who not only make promises, but write checks for the sake of human rights and human dignity, and for the sake of peace," Bush said.

The president said he will also seek progress on the long running Doha trade talks designed to knock down trade barriers for under- developed nations to export products to the United States and European Union.

"We will work to tear down barriers to trade and investment around the world," Bush said.

Oil prices have reached record highs, causing a worldwide energy crunch and demands that petroleum-producing countries increase production. Bush said he will explore ways to lessen dependence on oil and develop new technologies for energy.

"I'll be reminding people that we can have better energy security and we can be better stewards of the environment without sacrificing economic growth," Bush said.

Bush has announced the United States will provide 1 billion dollars in food aid to alleviate high prices that have caused shortages in poorer countries.

"We've got to work to confront higher food prices," he said. (dpa)