Obama Reaches Out To 9 Key Global Allies

President-Elect Calls Back Presidents, Prime Ministers Who Congratulated Him

(AP)  President-elect Obama accepted congratulations from nine presidents and prime ministers Thursday, returning calls from world leaders who reached out after his presidential victory.

The global financial crisis was among the topics Obama discussed with key U.S. allies he'll deal with during his administration.

Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the president-elect spoke to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Sarkozy's office says they spoke for 30 minutes and characterized the discussion as "extremely warm" as the president congratulated Obama on a "brilliant" election victory. The statement said they discussed international issues, particularly the financial crisis, and agreed to meet in the "quite near future."

Harper's office said in a statement that they spoke about an international financial summit in Washington on Nov. 15 and its importance for addressing the global financial crisis. Obama had no plans to attend the meeting.

The prime minister's office says the two leaders emphasized that there could be no closer friends and allies than the United States and Canada and vowed to maintain and further build upon the relationship. Harper's office called it a warm exchange and said they agreed to talk again soon.

Calderon's office said Obama pledged continued U.S. support for Mexico's fight against organized crime and drug trafficking. A statement from the Mexican president's office says Obama told Calderon he was "conscious of the difficulty of the battle" and offered "decisive" U.S. support.

Congress approved $400 million in anti-drug aid for Mexico last June, but has yet to release the money.

Olmert's office said the two "agreed on the need to continue advancing peacemaking, while safeguarding Israel's security." Israel and the Palestinians relaunched talks nearly a year ago at a U.S.-sponsored peace conference, and they set a year-end target for a final accord. But no breakthroughs have been reported, and in Israel on Thursday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice all but conceded that goal was unachievable.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday congratulated Obama on his election win in a letter, - the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a U.S. president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Iranian leader also said he hopes Obama will "use the opportunity to serve the (American) people and leave a good name for history" during his term in office.

In his conversation with Lee, Obama said the U.S.-South Korea alliance is a "cornerstone" of Asia's peace and stability, and promised improved relations between the countries, Seoul's presidential office said.

The United States helped defend South Korea during the Korean war and is its No. 1 ally. About 28,500 American troops are still stationed there to deter threats from communist North Korea.

Brown's Downing Street office says he and Obama spoke about several issues, including reform of the global financial system. Britain's Press Association newswire said the two had a "very friendly and positive" 10-minute conversation, covering topics including the world economy, the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Middle East peace process.

Australia's prime minister Kevin Rudd told reporters in Sydney that he spoke by telephone with Obama Friday to congratulate him on his historic win and discuss the various challenges the lie ahead for the world, chief among them the global financial crisis. The two also talked about the issues of national security and climate change during the 10- to 15-minute conversation, Rudd said.

"It was a good conversation, it was a friendly conversation," Rudd said. "The challenges we face are great....But I believe we have a strong partner in the U.S."

[toolmangler-2009]

I think President Obama will likely be a great president. In any event, he doesn''t have a tough act to follow. Sort of like putting Jerry Seinfeld on after the world''s worst comedian has been on stage for what seems like eight horrible years.
Posted by cdfoxtrot5 at 05:37 PM : Nov 07, 2008




If he can just keep things from getting worse, he will be a winner in my book

[comeon11]

cdfoxtrot5.................the European Commission does not have a monopoly on alliance. I don''t know where you got that from.

[cdfoxtrot5]

Let''''s send our prayers and support that this new administration succeeds for America''''s sake.I beleive it will!

Posted by TV78

I think President Obama will likely be a great president. In any event, he doesn''t have a tough act to follow. Sort of like putting Jerry Seinfeld on after the world''s worst comedian has been on stage for what seems like eight horrible years.

[cdfoxtrot5]

How the heck are Australia, Korea, Canada and Mexico "key global allies"? I would have thought he''d want to call the head of the European Commission and, although I don''t particularly like the person, the PM of Italy. These are major players on the world stage. Whatever about neighbors Canada and Mexico, why would Obama waste a nanosecond on the Aussies or the Koreans?

[tv78]

It is so obvious that many in this world want to look up to America.America is living up to it''s hope and promise.It is correcting the errors of it''s past.Hope has won.Obama is the president elect.The world is watching and waiting.We all have work to do.Brighter days are on the way.Let''s send our prayers and support that this new administration succeeds for America''s sake.I beleive it will!

[jerr11]

I believe to this day that Bush did not win either of those elections, and I believe he had a corrupt and anticonstitutional administration cloaked in secrecy to the detriment of the country. I''''d be failing in my duty as a citizen if I didn''''t say so. But that''''s not spreading hate.


Posted by hatesthecolt at 03:32 PM : Nov 07, 2008



Good post!

[jdn54]

To Socialism Sux:

I am tired of you, giving us decent Christians a bad name?
Listen to this poem and learn some wisdom.

Alack O world Alack
Do mortals not know
That when Yahweh smiles in the mirror, Allah smiles back
And when God goes forth to see the world,
God puts on a Jesus hat.

How beautiful are the feet of them that spread the Gospel of Peace,
Hey Socialism wash your feet!

St.John said that he who says he loves God who he cannot see, yet hates his brother and sister whom he sees every day is a liar.
If you are truly a Christian, instead of a lying hypocrite as John would say, then renew yourself in the Ressurection, not in the desecration of your humanity.

[rdepontb]

It is so good to once again read of the pride with which our allies speak of their relationship with our President.

Here''s to a burgeoning of peaceful world discussions and cooperation.

[hatesthecolt]

bigeye9, you are joking, right? Because I said I didn''t want ot go to Bush''s inauguration? Since when is that "spreading hate?" I will be the first to admit, I am competely disdainful of this administration; I believe to this day that Bush did not win either of those elections, and I believe he had a corrupt and anticonstitutional administration cloaked in secrecy to the detriment of the country. I''d be failing in my duty as a citizen if I didn''t say so. But that''s not spreading hate. I do not attack the President or his family personally unlike what goes on regularly on this website vis a vis the President elect. It sounds to me like your skin may be a bit too thin if you think this is spreading hate.

[bigeye9]

Dear hatesthecolt - Here you go spreading more hate, when in fact you probably believe you aren''t. I''m a Republican, and really welcome President Elect Obama, 100%. You on the other hand were bitter when a Republican won in 2000, and 2004. So much for Democrats being so loving and fair minded. I''m electing to take the high road, but your post seemed just a tad hateful. For gosh sake can''t we ever learn, hate begates hate. Please take the high road and let''s all support our new President and wish him well. A Republican from California; peace out.