Washington » President Barack Obama on Thursday will host leaders of the nation's Indian tribes for a White House conference on Native American issues, the highest-level meeting in 15 years for descendants America's earliest inhabitants.

The agenda, tribal officials say, could run the gamut from broken treaty promises decades, if not centuries old, and more modern concerns such as crime, poverty and health care.

Representatives of all seven of Utah's Indian tribal governments are invited to the conference, which will include two addresses by Obama and dialogue with several Cabinet secretaries.

It will be the first meeting at the highest levels of federal government for the Indian tribes since President Bill Clinton hosted a similar event in the 1990s; Native American leaders in Utah say there's a cadre of issues tribal nations plan to raise, though expectations of fixing the spiraling health care problems, turning around economically depressed areas and combating increased crime in the short term are low.

"It's an outstanding gesture and it certainly breaks the ice as far as demonstrating a commitment to earnest relations with Indian tribes," says Forrest Cuch, executive director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, and a member of the Ute Tribe.

"But time will only tell how much of a commitment there is to the tribes in terms of executing some of the recommendations that will come from that conference. Sometimes, government leaders will go a little bit further with some initiatives but not really carry them out."

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Tuesday that he envisions the conference will help develop a "new chapter" in the relationship between the federal government and Indian nations unparalleled in U.S. history.

"We won't be able to reach everybody on Thursday," Salazar said. "We won't be able to wave a magic wand and resolve all the issues, but it is a great foundation for the work that lies ahead."

Native Americans have a poverty level double that of the nation as a whole, according to the last Census, as well as median earnings below that of most workers. In general, Native Americans have lower education levels than the average American and tribal leaders report difficulties in ramping up economic development on reservations.

Larry Echo Hawk, a Utahn and assistant Interior secretary for Indian Affairs, said the conference is only one of the many efforts the Obama administration is making to ensure tribal leaders have a voice in policy decisions.

"This will be a nice opportunity for tribal leaders to engage the president directly and so it's not a beginning, it's a continuation of a very strong effort that's been made," Echo Hawk said.

Bruce Parry, chairman of the Northwest Band of Shoshone Nation in northern Utah, said he expects any changes to come from this new-found interest in Native American issues will be over the long-term and not in the near future. But he praised the administration's effort to reach out.

"I think it's the attitude and the willingness to work with tribal leaders that's going to be important for the long run," Parry said. "The more important thing is the president will become aware of the things affecting the tribes and hopefully work toward solving some of those problems."

Likewise, Rupert Steele, chairman of the Goshute Indian Tribe in Utah's west desert, says he's hoping the president could weigh in on a water dispute between Nevada and Utah in the Snake Valley area that he says is hurting his tribe.

Overall, he adds, it's nice to have a listening ear in the White House.

"We've been waiting for a long time for something like that to happen," Steele said.

tburr@sltrib.com