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By Paula Wolfson
France April 03, 2009 - U.S. President Barack Obama is reaching out to
the European public as well as its leaders, promising a new era in ties
across the Atlantic. NATO allies gathered for summit talks on the French
German border, Mr. Obama actively sought support for his new
Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, and announced plans for a push for
nuclear disarmament.
The president is reaching out directly to the European public. "What we
thought was important was for me to have an opportunity to not only
speak with you but also to hear from you, because that's ultimately how
we can learn about each other," he said.
At a sports arena in Strasbourg, France, the president began a dialogue
with French and German students.
It had all the trappings of a campaign rally. And indeed it was - a
campaign for the hearts and minds of Europeans.
It was at this event, not a formal press conference or
photo-opportunity, that he chose to make a big announcement. "This
weekend in Prague I will lay out the agenda to seek the goal of a world
without nuclear weapons," he said.
He offered few details about the speech he will give Sunday in the Czech
capital. But he told Europeans nuclear prolifieration is not just
America's problem, but theirs as well. "Even with the Cold War now over,
the spread of nuclear weapons or the theft of nuclear material could
lead to the extermination of any city on the planet," he said.
Mr. Obama told a young German that the threat has not lessened just
because there is a new administration in Washington. "I think that it is
important for Europe to understand that even though I'm now President
and George Bush is no longer president, al Qaida is still a threat, and
that we cannot pretend somehow that because Barack Hussein Obama got
elected as president, suddenly everything is going to be okay," he said.
In the hours leading up to the NATO summit, Mr. Obama also held
individual talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German
Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Speaking at a joint news conference, Mr. Sarkozy said France totally
supports the new US strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and will send
more trainers to work with the Afghan armed forces and police.
And Chancellor Merkel conceded the new American strategy is very much in
line with the approach she has advocated for some time.
Security is tight throughout the border region as France and Germany
co-host this summit. Protesters have threatened to disrupt the
proceedings. But none of the protests are directed at Mr. Obama. And in
the center of Strasbourg cheering crowds pressed against the barricades
for a look at the new American president.
Source: VOA
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