US President George W. Bush met for lunch with House Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer at the White House on Thursday, after Republicans lost control of Congress in Tuesday's elections.

From the Oval Office, Bush said he congratulated Pelosi on becoming the first woman House speaker, calling the occasion historic for the country.

Since the elections, Bush has taken reconciliatory steps to improve ties with Democrats. He called Pelosi early Wednesday to congratulate the Democrats on their sweep and invited Pelosi and Hoyer for lunch at the White House.

Bush said he had a "very constructive and very friendly conversation" with Pelosi and Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat in the House, discussing a wide-ranging of important issues.

"When you win, you have a responsibility to do the best you can for the country," he said.

Bush said he and Democrats did not agree on every issue, but they agreed to address challenges facing the country "in a constructive way."

"We won't agree on every issue, but we do agree ... that we will do our very best to address big problems," he said.

A harsh critic of the Bush administration, Pelosi said the two sides "extended the hand of friendship, of partnership to solve the problems facing our country, the challenges that America's working families face."

On the Iraq issue, Bush affirmed that he is open to any suggestions on Iraq following the Democrats' control of Congress in midterm elections.

"Whatever party you come from, we all have a responsibility to ensure that these troops have the resources and support they need to prevail," Bush said after a cabinet meeting.

Following the fall of Congress to the Democrats, Bush vowed not to pull US troops out of Iraq.

Bush has acknowledged that the Democrats' victory is a sign that Americans are frustrated by the Iraq quagmire.

With a Democrat-controlled Congress, the last two years of Bush's presidency may prove to be very difficult for the White House, making Bush a 'lame duck' president. The Bush administration would have to seek support from Democrats to move forward with its legislative agenda, and Democrats would exert more pressure on the president to adjust unpopular policies.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2006)