( Irna ) - Incoming prime minister Gordon Brown held a 10-minute phone conversation with US President George W Bush shortly after taking office Wednesday.
Brown's official spokesman described the telephone conversation with Bush as "an introductory call that was business-like and constructive".
The new prime minister was also said to have spoken to French president Nicolas Sarkozy, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian prime minister Romano Prodi and Irish premier Bertie Ahern.
His conversation came after Brown was formally asked to form a government as the new leader of the ruling Labour Party following Tony Blair's resignation as prime minister.
The new premier's relations with Bush is seen as crucial with many members of his party suggesting that he distances himself from the US president.
In his first speech, Brown said that there would be "major changes" and pledged to form a new government with "new priorities." He said he would be "strong in purpose, steadfast in will, resolute in action in the service of what matters to the British people." One of his first tasks is to appoint a new cabinet with speculation that all three of the most senior posts, Home Secretary Foreign Secretary and his own replacement as Chancellor of the Exchequer, will see new faces.