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Obama tour eases discord with Europe

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-07 22:09

PARIS -- US President Barack Obama received a rock star-style welcome wherever he went during his tour of France and Germany over the weekend, clearly signaling a thaw in transatlantic relations.

In fact, the effect of Obama's "new diplomacy" has already emerged in recent summit talks -- the London G20, NATO and Europe-US summits, analysts say.

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (2nd L) speaks with US President Barack Obama (3rd R), as they walk in front of Britain's Prince Charles (L), Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (3rd L) and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (2nd R) at Colleville-sur-Mer cemetery before a ceremony to mark the 65th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2009. [Xinhua]

GETTING EMOTIONAL ABOUT POLITICS

Obama had visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt before embarking on his European tour. While his visit was focused on the Middle East, Obama's European tour have grabbed much of the international spotlight.

Since taking office less than five months ago, Obama has had an event-packed schedule. US-Europe relations have been improving steadily -- marked by various political dialogues and economic talks between the two sides.

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However, Obama's trip to Europe this time, particularly his participation in activities marking the D-Day landings in Normandy, gave him a rare chance to play an emotional card that would be conducive to improving ties across the Atlantic.

The Normandy Landings, commenced on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), were the first operations of the Allied invasion at Normandy during World War II. Over 10,000 Allied troops were killed, wounded or missing, but the offensive broke Nazi Germany's grip on France and changed the course of the war.

The D-Day landings have since become an embodiment of US-Europe fraternity, and many US presidents have attended related memorial events.

Obama on Saturday joined commemoration events in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer in northern France to mark the 65th anniversary of the landings.

"It was unknowable then," Obama said in a speech, "but so much of the progress that would define the 20th century, on both sides of the Atlantic, came down to the battle for a slice of beach only six miles long and two miles wide."

Obama was also quick to defend the "friendship" with the continent when asked by reporters whether Europe was low on his priority list after his talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the Normandy city of Caen.

"I have a very tough schedule," Obama said. "I think it's very important to understand that good friends don't worry about the symbols and the conventions and the protocols."

SEEKING CONSENSUS

Another goal of Obama's visit is to seek cooperation and consensus on major international issues with European allies. The fight against terrorism, Middle East peace, Iran's nuclear program, the US prison at Guantanamo Bay and climate change all figured prominently at his talks with Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

According to media reports, Obama reached consensus with his European counterparts over a number of issues.

Both Merkel and Sarkozy have reportedly thrown their support behind Obama as the United States is calling for a redoubling of international efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

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