Obama and Sarkozy meet, hold presser
Posted: Friday, July 25, 2008 3:10 PM by Mark Murray
From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones
PARIS -- Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy greeted one another in front of a crush of photographers, camera crews, and reporters here at the Elysee Palace today before meeting for about an hour to discuss issues ranging from Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran to climate change and peace in the Middle East.
The visit marked the fourth day of a five-country swing through the Middle East and Europe meant to burnish Obama's foreign policy credentials.
In the press conference after their meeting, the two men appeared comfortable, cracking jokes before making statements about the importance of a strong relationship between the United States and France and its other European allies.
Obama spent several minutes talking about Iran, an issue he stressed throughout a press conference in Sderot, Israel earlier in the week. He spoke of the need for the United States and Europe to be partners in negotiating with the country about its nuclear program, saying a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a grave threat and could embolden terrorists and spark a dangerous arm race in the Middle East.
"I applaud France's current role in the E.U. three-plus-three efforts to use strong diplomacy to end this threat," he said. "It's important as we move forward for the United States and our European allies to remain full partners in this effort."
Obama went on to hail the decision to send Undersecretary of State William Burns, whom he called "an outstanding diplomat" to participate in talks with Iran.
As he did in Jordan on Tuesday, the senator said there was nothing that he had seen over the course of his travels these past several days that has caused him to change his "basic strategic assessment" of America's security and foreign policy challenges, mentioning Afghanistan and Iraq specifically. He has called for more troops in the former and a phased redeployment of troops from the latter.
Obama declined to say how many additional troops he wants France, Germany, and Great Britain to send to Afghanistan, while praising Sarkozy for his willingness to send more troops. And he did not criticize Bush when asked directly to comment on the Administration. Both non-answers seemed in line with a statement he and his advisers have made repeatedly before and during this trip, which is that America has one president at a time and that he did not intend to negotiate or make policy during his tour.
"What I can say affirmatively is that an effective U.S. foreign policy will be based on our ability not only to project power, but also to listen and to build consensus," he said. "And the goal of an Obama Administration in foreign policy would be obviously to act on behalf of the interests and the security of the United States, but also to listen carefully enough to our allies that we understand their interests, as well, and we try to find ways that we can work together to meet common goals."
Sarkozy declined to give a direct endorsement of Obama when asked whether he was endorsing the Illinois senator.
But he spoke glowingly of the senator and noted that many people in Europe came from different backgrounds, and so "Barack Obama's adventure is an adventure that rings true in the hearts and mind of the French and of Europeans."
There was an odd moment early on in the Q-and-A, when Sarkozy was asked about an incident several years ago when, as interior minister, he called rioting blacks in a poor French neighborhood "scum."
The roughly 40-minute presser was conducted in English and French with simultaneous translation.
