Obama Meets With World Leaders Amid Nuclear Security Summit
Monday, April 12, 2010 at 12:59PM
Justin Duckham in Frontpage 1, News/Commentary, White House
The Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C. this week has granted President Barack Obama the opportunity to host a whirlwind series of bilateral meetings with foreign officials and heads of states.
On Sunday, President Barack Obama met with South African President Jacob Zuma, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Nigerian interim President Goodluck Johathan and Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
These meetings were followed by sessions with Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak and Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Monday.
While the meetings are intended to address issues related to nuclear security, Ben Rhodes, a Deputy National Security Adviser, told reporters Sunday that Obama will discuss other important issues.
According to the White House, the U.S. president discussed the Middle East Peace Process during his meeting with Jordan’s delegation. During yesterday’s meeting with the Kazakhs, the recent coup in Kyrgyzstan, which borders Kazakhistan, was touched upon.
“They talked about ways we are reaching out to the new interim government,” Mike McFaul, the administration’s Senior Director for Russia and the Caucasus, said during a conference call with reporters.
The bilateral meetings were held both in the Blair House and the Washington Convention Center, which is hosting the Summit. The president is still slated to meet other leaders, including those from China and Turkey. Obama will host a working dinner Monday evening with the delegation’s heads.
Monday and Tuesday’s summit brings delegations from 47 countries to D.C. It is the largest gathering of heads of states in the U.S. since the initial meeting to form the United Nations in 1945.
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