Obama to host EU-US summit in November

AFP: US President Barack Obama will host the leadership of the European Union for a summit on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and the global economy in early November, the White House said Friday. WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Barack Obama will host the leadership of the European Union for a summit on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and the global economy in early November, the White House said Friday.

Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will meet Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana on November 3.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement the session would build on the first EU-US summit of Obama's presidency in Prague in April, and include discussions on climate change, the global economy, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.

Talks will likely narrow in on the effort by leading global powers to convince Iran to renounce what the West says is the production of nuclear weapons, and December's United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen.

On November 4, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will host summit meetings with EU leaders at the State Department.

"The European Union and the United States enjoy strong relations and partner together around the world to promote peace, prosperity, and democratic freedoms," the statement said.

Sweden currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.