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Obama tour eases discord with Europe

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

On climate change, Obama said the United States will take decisive measures to cooperate with Europe.

The United States also won support from its European allies on Iran's nuclear issue. Both Germany and France reiterated that they want to peacefully co-exist with Iran, but would never allow it to develop its nuclear facilities for military purposes.

US President Barack Obama (2nd R) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd L) tour the Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany, June 5, 2009. [Xinhua]

POSITIVE RESPONSES

The relationship between Europe and the United States has been a complicated one and has often been strained. Obama's policy toward Europe has won positive responses from his European counterparts.

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Sarkozy, after his talks with Obama, said France and the United States shared close views on major international issues. Both agreed to maintain cooperation on such issues as Guantanamo and France's return to NATO's military command structure.

Both Sarkozy and Merkel praised Obama's speech in Egypt, saying it sent a message of reconciliation to the Arab world and would be conducive to the Middle East peace process.

In face of the financial crisis and the worsening international security situation, Europe and the United States see a strong need to strengthen cooperation, but they are not eye to eye on every issue due to their own particular interests, analysts say.

Discord remains over such issues as Turkey's EU membership bid.

"I've said publicly that I think Turkish membership of the EU would be important," Obama told reporters at a joint press conference with Sarkozy before they attended the D-Day commemorations.

But Sarkozy, speaking on the same occasion, said: "I told President Obama that it is very important for Europe to have borders."

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