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NATO SUMMIT ROUNDUP: Danes to lead, Obama Afghan plan OK, Welcome back France

FACT SHEET FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON NATO SUMMIT IN STRASBOURG-KEHL

President Obama joined NATO leaders at the NATO Summit in Strasbourg-Kehl to celebrate sixty years of peace and security within the Alliance as the foundation for a Europe whole, free and at peace.  The summit demonstrates the transatlantic commitmaent to the success and ongoing transformation of the Alliance to meet today’s security challenges.  From meeting NATO's crucial security tasks in Afghanistan to adapting NATO to confront new threats, NATO remains as vital to our common security in the 21st century as it was in the 20th century.

NATO’s Commitment to Success in Afghanistan

Allies strongly endorsed President Obama’s strategy for Afghanistan, reaffirming and building on the strategic consensus achieved at the March 31 International Conference on Afghanistan in The Netherlands, and committed to helping Afghans take on more responsibility for their political future and for protecting the Afghan people.  In what was a down payment on greater international support for this strategy, NATO Allies and partners announced today that they will:

• Establish a NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, drawing on NATO’s successful experience training in Iraq, to oversee higher level training for the Afghan National Army while training and mentoring the Afghan National Police;
• Support this Afghan National Police training, including through the contributions of several allies who have committed over 300 new para-military trainers and mentors;

More from the Road: Michelle Obama

US First Lady Michelle Obama and Hayrunnisa Gul, wire of Turkish President Abdullah Gul, during a tour at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg, France, Saturday, April 4th, 2009. Photo: White House Photo, Lawrence Jackson

 



Michelle Obama as her fellow spouses of NATO Summit leaders as take a a tour Saturday of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg, France, , April 4th, 2009, Photo: White House Photo, Lawrence Jackson

Obama connects with crowd at French town hall

'Time is running out'
'We have to begin today'

Message of urgency and action is applauded by French crowd at Town Hall meeting in Strasbourg, FRANCE.

OBAMA: "...We also know that in the 21st century, security is more complex than military power. This is the generation that must also stop the spread of the pollution that is slowly killing our planet, from shrinking coastlines and devastating storms to widespread misery and famine and drought. The effects of climate change are now in plain sight.

Europe has acted with a seriousness of purpose that this challenge demands. And in the last few months I'm proud to say that America has begun to take unprecedented steps to transform the way that we use energy. We appointed a special envoy to help us lead a global effort to reduce the carbon that we send in the atmosphere.

But we all know that time is running out. And that means that America must do more. Europe must do more. China and India must do more. Rolling back the tide of a warming planet is a responsibility that we have to ourselves, to our children, and all of those who will inherit God's creation long after we are gone. So let us meet that responsibility together. I am confident that we can meet it. But we have to begin today..."

Read the full text transcript of the Obama Town Hall in Strasbourg, France

Photo: White House , Pete Souza

New Day for US-France Relations -- SarKOZY to Obama: 'I appreciate your open-mindedness...clear determination to build a new world'

Comments from the French President at joint press conference in Strasbourg, France, April 3rd, 2009
FRENCH PRESIDENT SARKOZY (translated) "...We have reviewed a certain number of issues -- Afghanistan, NATO, Iran, Russia, Middle East -- and I think -- and I stand to be corrected by the U.S. President, but I think I can say that there is a total identity of views between us, convergence of views.

Insofar as I'm speaking just after the G20 summit, I would like to say to Barack Obama just how delighted I've been to be able to work hand in hand with him. I want to tell him how much I appreciate his open-mindedness and his clear determination to build a new world. And I can say that at this summit there have been no winners, there have been no losers. There were 20 leaders -- of course, the leader of the world's number one power, the USA, who shouldered the responsibilities, squared up to the responsibilities, and that all goes well for the months and years to come. We have a hell of a lot of work ahead of us because there's a hell of a lot of problems we need to deal with.

But for us this is a source of optimism to be able to work with an American administration that is clearly determined to listen to its friends and allies and to solve the problems, buckle down and solve the problems.

So, Barack, welcome to France. Thank you. And I really look forward to the weeks to come, because we're going to take a lot of initiatives, the world needs us to do so..."

Read the FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT of Presidents Sarkozy & Obama Press Conference

Photo: Office of the President of France -Elysée,  P. Segrette

Obama in France 'our oldest ally, our first ally'

News Conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy
OBAMA: "...It is thrilling to be part of what is a true celebration. France, which is the United States' oldest ally, our first ally -- once again taking an extraordinary leadership role in NATO, thanks to the greatest leadership of President Sarkozy.

Full Text of Sarkozy/ Obama Press Conference

He's courageous on so many fronts it's hard to keep up. And the energy that he has brought to foreign affairs is something that I think we've all benefited from. So I'm grateful to his partnership. Had it not been for much of his leadership I think what emerged from the summit would not have been as significant as it was.

On the issues that we discussed -- whether it's Afghanistan, Iran, Russia -- he is continually showing initiative, imagination, creativity in trying to solve problems that have been there for a very long time. And America is not only grateful for the friendship with France, but I, personally, am grateful to the friendship that we've developed -- one that lasts before either of us -- that actually developed before either of us were even elected to office. And it has only grown stronger since..."

Read the complete Transcript of Presidents Sarkozy & Obama Press Conference

Photos: Office of the President of France -Elysée,  P. Segrette