LIMA - US President George W. Bush on Saturday assured Asia-Pacific leaders coping with the global economic crisis that recovering from the meltdown 'is going to take time, but we?ll recvover.'

'As we look to the future, the tasks facing our nations are no doubt demanding. Recovering from the financial crisis is going to take time, but we'll recover, and in so doing begin a new era of prosperity,' he said.

Mr Bush was in Lima for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum, which he said would be his final trip abroad before handing the keys to the White House to Barack Obama on January 20.