Obama calls Saudi king, British and Canadian PMs

[maddezmom]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama on Friday spoke by telephone with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Canada's leader Stephen Harper as well as Saudi King Abdullah, the White House said.

Press spokesman Robert Gibbs gave no details of the conversations which were Obama's first with the three key US allies since he took office on Tuesday.

But a spokesman for the British prime minister's office told AFP: "They spoke about the economy, the Middle East and other international issues. The tone of the conversation was friendly and substantive."

~snip~

The Saudi news agency SPA said the king and Obama "talked about the situation in the region and subjects of common interest."

They also discussed "the special and solid relations that link the two countries and ways of reinforcing them more."



Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jpLN2mQllzmdfz1wLHein7YH3qmA

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more info here thanks to bemildred

Obama asks for Saudi king's help on Gaza
Washington - US President Barack Obama urged Saudi King Abdullah on Friday to help international efforts to prevent the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip, the White House said.

Obama spoke with Abdullah by telephone as he continued to call foreign leaders several days after being sworn into office. Obama also spoke with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Obama and Abdullah discussed bilateral relations, and the president thanked the king for his efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and humanitarian support for the Palestinians, the White House said.

Halting the smuggling of weapons to Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip is seen as key toward maintaining a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that was enacted last weekend after three weeks of fighting.


more:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x253019

[Bicoastal]

1. Hello, Gordon? Stephen? Abdullah?

There's a new sheriff in town.

[maddezmom]

2. it's nice to have ADULTS back in the WH

and using diplomacy as the tool instead of hissyfits and threats.

[Lautremont]

3. I hope some of whatever Obama's got rubs off on Harper.

Actually, I don't. I want Harper to stay out of touch, unlikeable and bewildered so he'll be voted off the island with all haste.

[Posteritatis]

5. Hey, if some Obama rubs off on him he'll hemorrhage Conservative votes

That doesn't offend me much. It's happening already - there's an NDP seat in *Alberta* right now, after all.

[ohio2007]

4. Barack has the Taliban on speed dial

Two U.S. missile strikes kill 17 in Pakistan
snip
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/23/pakistan.missile/index.html


Obama said
..If it's acting on reliable intelligence then,

Yes we can

[Name removed]

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