LIMA -- US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday discussed the global economic crisis and efforts to speed the process of ending North Korea's nuclear programs, the White House said.

In a statement describing the meeting, spokeswoman Dana Perino made no mention of US hopes that Beijing will call an early December meeting of the six-country forum on denuclearizing the secretive Stalinist state.

"The leaders also discussed the importance of formalizing the verification protocol of the six-party talks, which as part of 'action-for-action' will eventually lead to a denuclearized peninsula," she said.

In a follow-up email exchange, Perino told Agence France-Presse: "We understand they're working on an early December head of delegation meeting" to cement the plan for verifying North Korea's disarmament is proceeding as planned.

Bush told Hu as they opened their wide-ranging talks, held on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit here, that he felt "a little nostalgic" about holding their final meeting as heads of state, according to Perino.

The US president, who steps down January 20, "at the beginning of the meeting expressed how he 'felt a little nostalgic' given this was their last meeting as heads of state," she said.

"He said he felt very comfortable in their personal relationship and that he believes the relationship between our two countries is on solid ground" and passed Hu "warm regards" from his father, former US president and former US ambassador to Beijing George Bush, the spokeswoman said.

The two leaders discussed the global financial meltdown, noting "the need to reject protectionism, and the work ahead for a successful framework agreement for the Doha round (of global trade talks) this year," she said.

Bush "raised the issue of the need for increased market access commitments," she said.

The US president also "encouraged the Chinese to continue their dialogue with the Dalai Lama" and "also expressed his long standing commitment to religious freedom," said Perino.

Bush "reiterated the One China policy in regard to Taiwan, consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act and the three communiques," she said.

The two leaders also discussed "continued cooperation" on issues like Iran's suspect nuclear program, turmoil in Zimbabwe and Sudan, and pressure for democratic reforms in Myanmar, she said.

They also agreed that the US-sponsored "major economies" forum "is the way to move forward to address the challenges of climate change," she said.