Barack Obama and José Manuel Barroso (Image © European Communities 2009)
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US president Barack Obama urged EU nations to accept Turkey as a member state, and forge better relations between the Western and Muslim worlds, at the EU-US summit held in Prague on Sunday.
Speaking at the meeting between the US and European leaders, Mr Obama said: ‘The United States and Europe must approach Muslims as our friends, neighbours and partners in fighting injustice, intolerance and violence.’
The US president also encouraged Europe to shelter Guantanamo Bay prisoners after the camp closes and contribute more to the Afghanistan war effort. Both are contentious issues among EU member states.
According to Mr Obama, the EU-US relationship is ‘one of the key foundations for progress in the world’, while European Commission president, José Manuel Barroso, described the EU-US trading ties as ‘by far the most important economic relationship in the world’.
Meanwhile on Sunday, Czech political parties proposed the head of the country’s statistics office, Jan Fischer, as prime minister until general elections on 9 October.
If approved, he will take office on 9 May.
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