WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Saturday that he looks forward to hosting an international financial summit "in the near future."

    "I look forward to hosting this meeting in the near future," Bush said in the presidential retreat Camp David with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso.

U.S. President George W. Bush speaks about the economy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, October 17, 2008

"It is essential that we work together because we are in this crisis together," Bush said.

    Sarkozy has called for such a meeting to discuss the global financial crisis that has plagued the United States and other developed countries.

    Earlier Saturday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he supports the idea to host a global meeting on the financial crisis in New York.