Bush to brief Obama team

WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT George W. Bush's administration will brief president-elect Barack Obama and his team on several contingency plans in case an international crisis breaks after his inauguration, The New York Times reported on its website late on Tuesday.

The plans were recommended by the commission that investigated the September 11, 2001 attacks, the daily said.

The commission noted problems during the hand over from former president Bill Clinton to Mr Bush, and in its report on the attacks called for a better handover process 'since a catastrophic attack could occur with little or no notice'.

The memorandums the Obama administration will cover several crisis scenarios including a North Korean nuclear explosion, a cyberattack on American computer systems, a terrorist strike on a US site overseas, or an outbreak of instability in the Middle East, people briefed on them told the newspaper.

Each contingency plan outlines options Mr Obama can consider, they added.

Beside the memorandums, the Bush administration has given crisis training to government officials who may stay on after the inauguration while political appointees await Senate confirmation, the daily said. -- AFP