U.S. President Barack Obama will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit Nov. 19 and 20 in Lisbon to discuss progress in Afghanistan and other security issues, the White House said in an e-mailed statement.
“The president looks forward to discussing these and other issues with his 27 allied colleagues and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen,” the White House said today.
While he is in Portugal, Obama will also attend a meeting with European Union officials on Nov. 20, the European Commission and the White House said in e-mailed statements.
U.S. and NATO troops are in the midst of an offensive to try to push the Taliban out of its stronghold in Kandahar Province in southern Afghanistan as part of the escalation of American military involvement ordered by Obama last year.
While Obama has said he is committed to a July 2011 deadline to begin a withdrawal of U.S. forces, General David Petraeus, who is leading the 142,000 U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, said Aug. 15 the process would be “conditions- based” and could change depending on his assessment of progress.
In June, Petraeus replaced General Stanley McChrystal, who was removed from the war command by Obama for disparaging comments about the administration made in a Rolling Stone magazine interview.
Obama will also meet in Portugal with EU President Herman van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to reaffirm a transatlantic agenda and “advance our cooperation on issues of mutual concern,” the White House said.
“The United States and the European Union are continually working together to advance a broad agenda based on a common history, shared values, and enduring ties,” the White House said. “Our economic relationship is vital to global prosperity, and we are committed to cooperating to promote strong and sustained growth in our economies.”
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen