Remarks by President Obama, President Park of the Republic of Korea, and Prime Minister Abe of Japan

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

U.S. Ambassador’s Residence
The Hague, The Netherlands

6:38 P.M. CET

March 25, 2014

THE PRESIDENT:  I want to thank President Park and Prime Minister Abe for being here today.  I have worked closely with both the President and the Prime Minister, but this is the first time the three of us have had an opportunity to meet together and discuss some of the serious challenges that we all face.

Obviously Japan and the Republic of Korea are two of our closest allies in the world and our two most significant and powerful allies in the Asia Pacific region.  The ties between our peoples run deep.  We do an extraordinary amount of trade together.  Our alliances with South Korea and Japan uphold regional peace and security.  So our meeting today is a reflection of the United States’ critical role in the Asia Pacific region, but that role depends on the strength of our alliances. 

One of the things that brings us together today is our shared concern about North Korea and its nuclear weapons program. Over the last five years, close coordination between our three countries has succeeded in changing the game with North Korea, and our trilateral cooperation has sent a strong signal to Pyongyang that its provocations and threats will be met with a unified response and that the U.S. commitment to the security of both Japan and the Republic of Korea is unwavering, and that a nuclear North Korea is unacceptable.

So I very much look forward to discussing some of the specific steps that we can take to deepen that coordination in terms of both diplomacy and military cooperation.  And that includes joint exercises and on missile defense.

So, again, I want to thank President Park and Prime Minister Abe for being here after a long summit.  I appreciate their delegations being here as well.  I think it's very important for our three nations to display this kind of unity and shared determination.  It's an important message to our citizens; it's an important message to the Asia Pacific region.  And this also gives me an opportunity to lay the groundwork for even more productive meetings when I visit both the Republic of Korea and Japan in April.

So, thank you again, Madam Prime Minister -- Madam President and Mr. Prime Minister.  Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT PARK:  (As interpreted.)  Given the increasingly uncertain developments in North Korea, the critical need for closer coordination among the three countries with regard to North Korea, the North Korean nuclear issue, the chance to engage in an exchange of views with President Obama and Prime Minister Abe is very significant.  The North Korean nuclear issue poses a major threat to peace and stability in the region, and it is vital that the international community, including Korea, the U.S. and Japan, fashion a united response.

The fact that the leaders of the three countries have gathered together and they’re discussing the issue of the North Korean nuclear weapons issue is in and of itself very significant.  Should North Korea embark on the path to denuclearization on the basis of sincerity, then there will be a way forward to address the difficulties confronting the North Korean people.

The United States has worked very hard to make today’s meeting happen.  I sincerely hope that this meeting will offer a chance for us to reaffirm our trilateral coordination and strengthen cooperation on the nuclear front.
 
PRIME MINISTER ABE:  (As interpreted.)  I am so delighted that we are able to hold the Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea trilateral summit today.  I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to President Obama for hosting this summit.  And I am so very happy to be able to see President Park Geun-Hye.

It is highly meaningful and also timely that the leaders of the three countries sharing basic values and strategic interests are gathering together to have extensive discussions of security.  Particularly, it is extremely important to be able to confirm close cooperation amongst Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea on the issue of North Korea.  And the three countries would like to cooperate so that North Korea will be able to take a positive stance with regard to nuclear and missile issues and also humanitarian issues, such as the separated families of the Republic of Korea.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you very much, everybody.

END
6:44 P.M. CET

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Remarks by President Obama at Closing Session of the Nuclear Security Summit

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

The World Forum
The Hague, The Netherlands

3:15 P.M. CET

March 25, 2014

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, thank you very much, Mark.  Let me begin just by saying that -- to Prime Minister Rutte and all the people here in the Netherlands who were involved in organizing this summit, you did an extraordinary job.  And I think we would all agree that this was as well-designed and well-executed as any international summit that we’ve attended.  And so we’re very grateful, and you’ve set a high bar for the work that needs to be done in Chicago.

Two things I want to do is, number one, just remind everybody what has been accomplished.  In previous summits, as a consequence to the work that’s been done collectively, 12 countries and two dozen nuclear facilities around the world have rid themselves entirely of highly-enriched uranium and plutonium.  Dozens of nations have boosted security at their nuclear storage sites; built their own counter-smuggling teams; or created new centers to improve nuclear security and training.  The IAEA is stronger.  More countries have ratified the treaties and international partnerships at the heart of our efforts.

And at this particular summit, we’ve seen such steps as Belgium and Italy completing the removal of their excess supplies of highly-enriched uranium and plutonium so that those supplied s can be eliminated.  In a major commitment, Japan announced that it will work with the United States to eliminate hundreds of kilograms of weapons-usable nuclear material from one of their experimental reactors, which would be enough for a dozen nuclear weapons.  Dozens of other nations have agreed to take specific steps towards improving nuclear security in their own countries and to support global efforts.

So what’s been valuable about this summit is that it has not just been talk, it’s been action.  And that is because of the leadership that has been shown by heads of state and government -- and heads of government that have participated in this effort, as well as the extraordinary work of foreign ministers and sherpas and others who have helped to move this process forward.

I’m looking forward to hosting all of you in the United States, in 2016.  We had a good discussion this afternoon about how we should conceive of this summit two years from now.  The consensus, based on what I heard, was that we should recognize this next summit will be a transition summit in which heads of state and government are still participating, but that we are shifting towards a more sustainable model that utilizes our ministers, our technical people, and we are building some sort of architecture that can effectively focus and implement on these issues and supplement the good work that is being done by the IAEA and others.

So I see two tasks before us over the next two years.  Number one is we have to set very clearly what are the actionable items that we’ve already identified that we know can get done if we have the political will to do them, and let’s go ahead and get them done so that in 2016 we can report out that we have made extraordinary progress and achieved many of the benchmarks and targets that we had set at the very first Nuclear Security Summit.  In other words, I think it is important for us not to relax, but rather accelerate our efforts over the next two years, sustain momentum so that we finish strong in 2016.  And my team will be contacting all of you to find out specific ways in which you think we can move the ball forward over the next two years.

The second thing we’ll be doing is soliciting ideas from each of you about the ultimate architecture that should be constructed to ensure that beyond 2016 we are able to keep this process alive and effective, and that we are able to sync up the efforts of the Nuclear Security Summit with existing institutions like the IAEA, Interpol, the United Nations, some of the treaties that are already in force.

All of you have important views on that, and we’re going to want to make sure that you provide them so that by the time we get to 2016 we have a well thought-out process that can be ratified at that meeting.

So I cannot thank you enough for the extraordinary efforts that all of you have already made.  I cannot guarantee that the videos will be as good at the Washington conference as they’ve been here.  We may not be as creative and imaginative as Mark and his team have been.  But I promise you that we will continue to stay focused on this very important issue, and we look forward to your contributions in 2016 in the United States.

Thank you very much, Mark.  (Applause.)

END
3:21 P.M. CET

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Remarks by President Obama and President Xi Jinping of China Before Bilateral Meeting

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

U.S. Ambassador’s Residence
The Hague, The Netherlands

12:48 P.M. CET

March 24, 2014

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  (In progress)-- We have made incredible strides over these past several decades, and I know that President Xi and I are both committed to continuing to strengthen and build a new model of relations between our countries. 

I want to, first of all, thank the President and the First Lady of China for being such gracious hosts when Michelle, Malia and Sasha first arrived in China.  And they’re still there.  They’ve seen the Great Wall; they’ve seen the Terracotta Warriors.  And from my phone calls with them, they’re having an extraordinary time.  So I want to thank the President for his outstanding hospitality towards my family.

And Michelle had an opportunity to meet with a number of young people in China, and these kinds of person-to-person ties are extremely important.  And she also played some table tennis, although I think this was not the high-level Ping-Pong diplomacy that we saw in the past.  (Laughter.) 

Today, in addition to the important work that we're going to be doing at the Nuclear Security Summit, we'll have the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues that are of mutual interest, including the denuclearization of North Korea, situations surrounding climate change, as well as world issues like the situation in Ukraine.

And because of the numerous meetings and fora that we've been able to establish, we're able not only to work on those issues of mutual interest and concern, but we're also able to work through frictions that exist in our relations around issues like human rights or dealing with maritime issues in the South China Sea and in the Pacific region in a way that's constructive and hopefully will lead to resolutions and improved solutions for all parties concerned. 

We'll also have the opportunity to discuss economic issues, which are a cornerstone of our relationship, and the importance of our trading relationship and making sure that we are both abiding by the rules that allow us to create jobs and prosperity in both of our countries.

I think it's fair to say that this bilateral relationship has been as important as any bilateral relationship in the world, and we've made great strides.  I believe ultimately that by working together, that China and the United States can help to strengthen international law, respect for the sovereignty of nations, and establish the kinds of rules internationally that allow all people to thrive. 

And so I'm very much looking forward to this conversation and to the interaction with President Xi during the course of this Nuclear Security Summit.

PRESIDENT XI:  (As interpreted.)  Mr. President, it's my great pleasure to meet you again.  First of all, let me thank you for calling me recently to express sympathy over the missing Malaysia Airlines flight and for instructing relevant U.S. agencies to join the search for the missing plane, and for sharing information with the Chinese side.  I want to thank you for that.

Before departing Beijing, my wife and I met your wife, Michelle, your mother-in-law, Mrs. Robinson, and your two lovely daughters, Malia and Sasha.  We had a very good conversation.  I know they’ve finished their tour of Beijing and Xi’an and they’re flying to Chengdu.  I'm sure it is a trip of friendship and exchange, and this trip will be remembered for them as a pleasant and memorable one.  When I was bidding farewell to Michelle in Beijing, she asked me to formally convey to you her best regards.  (Laughter.) 

Over the past year, you and I have stayed in close communication through meetings, phone calls, and exchange of letters.  We have arrived at a series of important points of consensus, and made important and positive progress in our bilateral relationship.

We are now in the 35th year of formal diplomatic relations between China and the United States.  We live in a complex world, and there is greater space where China and the United States are cooperating and where we need to and can work with each other. 

I have received and carefully read your recent letter to me, Mr. President.  In the letter you said that you remain committed to building the new model of major country relations with China.  You also said that China-U.S. cooperation can help to advance our two countries’ common interests, and we can address common challenges through practical cooperation.  I appreciate these statements.

I wish to emphasize that China is firmly committed to the set direction of building a new model of major country relations. We are committed to our position of no confrontation, no conflict, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation with regard to the United States.  We’ll adopt a more positive attitude and more vigorous actions to strengthen cooperation with the United States, and also to effectively manage our differences and sensitivities and make sure the China-U.S. relationship will continue to move forward in a healthy and steady fashion.

We will soon go into our meeting; just now you mentioned some issues, which might come up in our meeting.  It is like a menu, and a rich one at that.  I hope through this meeting we can further deepen our communication and exchange.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you, everybody.

END
1:00 P.M. CET

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Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands After Bilateral Meeting

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

Gallery of Honor
The Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

10:49 A.M. CET

March 24, 2014

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE:  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Netherlands.  Welcome to Amsterdam.  And, Barack, welcome to this very special location. 

We are standing here on historic grounds, surrounded by the finest paintings that Holland has produced and only a stone’s throw away from the house of John Adams, the first American ambassador to the Netherlands and second President of the United States.  It’s a location that symbolizes the enduring partnership between the U.S. and the Netherlands.  Our shared history and heritage go back a long way.

As an historian, it was a special moment for me when earlier this morning I was able to show President Obama two original documents from our National Archives that played an important role in the age-old friendship between our two countries.  The first was our own Declaration of Independence, the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe of 1581, which inspired Thomas Jefferson and his peers.  The second was the American-Dutch Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1782, another remarkable document from an age when peace between countries was usually a heartfelt affair.  And today, friendship is still at the heart of the relationship between the United States and the Netherlands, along with trade, shared values, and joint responsibilities.

Since that first treaty we have worked together in the growing awareness that economic prosperity, a safe and stable world and international cooperation go hand in hand.  With this in mind, the President and I talked about a wide range of subjects, starting with a joint climate initiative and the new steps we will take today in that regard.  The Netherlands is joining with the United States and a group of other countries in a bid to stop international public funding of new coal-fired power plants, for example, by multilateral development banks.  We want to achieve an international level playing field to ensure that private and public parties invest in green growth wherever possible.

We also discussed the important topic of the Transatlantic Investment Partnership between the EU and U.S.  Once concluded, this agreement will create more economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.  Importantly, it will set new standards that will benefit global trade and third countries as well.  This partnership will bolster our excellent bilateral economic ties even further.

During our conversation I stressed how much we value this partnership.  The Netherlands is the world’s third largest investor in the United States and we are home to some 1,800 American businesses. 

And of course, we also spoke about the major international security issues in Syria, Iran and Ukraine.  Concerning the last, we both regard Russia’s attempts to annex the Crimea as a flagrant breach of international law and we condemn its actions in the strongest possible terms.  The presence of so many world leaders in the Netherlands this week presents an important opportunity for the international community to discuss this subject, as well as other pressing issues that affect our common interests.

Finally, we looked ahead at the Nuclear Security Summit today and tomorrow.  President Obama deserves all the credit for getting this topic high on the agenda.  In 2010, Washington hosted the first summit on this seat.  In 2012, it was Seoul’s turn.  And now the Netherlands is proud to host the summit today and tomorrow in The Hague that will bring us closer to the goal of securing potentially dangerous nuclear material.

Barack, your presence underlines the importance of the summit, and this event, too, demonstrates the strength of the bilateral ties between our countries and of our joint commitment to peace, security and democracy.  I’m delighted to be able to hear from you publicly here at this splendid location.

Again, thank you for coming.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Mark, thank you.  And it is a splendid location.  I’m so grateful for your kind words.  We were very pleased to welcome you back in 2011 to the White House, and I appreciate your warm welcome today.  This is my first visit to Amsterdam and to The Hague and to the Netherlands, and I’m so pleased that I’ve had a chance already to meet some wonderful students.  I want to thank the Mayor and the curator for their hospitality as well.  I’m proud to be with some of the Dutch masters who I studied in school, and to see just the extraordinary traditions of this great country. 

I’d be remiss if I did not mention that I’m proud of both of our teams at the Olympics.  So in addition to painting, you really know how to speed skate.  (Laughter.)

As the Prime Minister said, we just had an excellent opportunity to experience the museum and to see those documents, including the Treaty of Friendship that John Adams negotiated more than 200 years ago, as a reminder of the historic ties between our countries.  And this is -- of all the press conferences I’ve done, this is easily the most impressive backdrop that I’ve had to a press conference. 

Of course, we’re here for our third Nuclear Security Summit. And I want to thank His Majesty, King Willem-Alexander, as well as Mark, the people of the Netherlands, for all the preparations that go into bringing together so many heads of state.  This is just one more example of Dutch leadership -- not just on nuclear security, but on many global challenges. 

As you know, the Netherlands is one of our closest allies, and our cooperation underscores a larger point -- our NATO allies are our closest partners on the world stage.  Europe is the cornerstone of America’s engagement with the world.  And today we focused on several priorities -- in Europe and beyond.

First, we obviously spent a considerable amount of time on the situation in Ukraine.  Europe and America are united in our support of the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people.  We’re united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions so far. Prime Minister Rutte rightly pointed out yesterday the growing sanctions would bring significant consequences to the Russian economy.  And I’ll be meeting with my fellow G7 leaders later today, and we’ll continue to coordinate closely with the Netherlands and our European partners as we go forward.

Second, I thanked the Prime Minister for the Netherlands’ strong commitment and contributions to NATO.  Dutch forces have served with distinction in Afghanistan and joined us in confronting piracy off the Horn of Africa.  Through NATO, the Netherlands contributed to the deployment of Patriot air batteries in Turkey and are making important investments in NATO defense capabilities.  Dutch forces are also making critical contributions to the international stabilization mission in Mali. So, across the board, the Dutch are making their presence felt in a very positive way, and we’re very grateful for that.

Third, we discussed how we can keep expanding the trade that creates jobs for our people.  We’re already among each other’s largest trade and investment partners, but we can always do more. And so I appreciated the Netherlands’ strong support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or T-TIP, which can fuel growth both in the United States and in Europe, especially for our small and medium-sized companies.

Fourth, we discussed a range of global challenges.  And as the United States and the P5-plus-1 partners continue negotiations with Iran, we have the basis for a practical solution that resolves concerns over Iran’s nuclear program.  But at the same time, I think it’s important that everyone remember during these negotiations we’ll continue to enforce the overall sanctions architecture that helped bring Iran to the table in the first place. 

I also wanted to commend the Netherlands for its leadership in the international effort to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons, and that includes your role as the host of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.  And more broadly, our two countries are going to keep working together to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.

And, finally, we reaffirmed our shared determination to confront climate change and its effects, including rising sea levels, which obviously is something that the Netherlands is concerned about, given your experience with seas and tides.  We’re pleased that the Netherlands has joined our initiative that will virtually end all public financing for coal-fired plants abroad.  It’s concrete action like this that can keep making progress on reducing emissions while we develop new global agreements on climate change.

So, a final note.  When John Adams was negotiating the treaty that we saw earlier, he wrote that the Dutch have -- and I’m quoting here -- have always “distinguished themselves by an inviolable attachment to freedom and the rights of nations.”  That was true then; it remains true today. 

So, Mark, I want to thank you and the Dutch for your hospitality, for your organization, for your partnership and for your leadership on the world stage.  And I want to thank you for sharing these extraordinary paintings with me this morning.

Dank u wel.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
11:00 A.M. CET

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Subscribe in a reader to Dennys Global Politics

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Rutte of the Netherlands After Bilateral Meeting

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

Gallery of Honor
The Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

10:49 A.M. CET

March 24, 2014

PRIME MINISTER RUTTE:  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Netherlands.  Welcome to Amsterdam.  And, Barack, welcome to this very special location. 

We are standing here on historic grounds, surrounded by the finest paintings that Holland has produced and only a stone’s throw away from the house of John Adams, the first American ambassador to the Netherlands and second President of the United States.  It’s a location that symbolizes the enduring partnership between the U.S. and the Netherlands.  Our shared history and heritage go back a long way.

As an historian, it was a special moment for me when earlier this morning I was able to show President Obama two original documents from our National Archives that played an important role in the age-old friendship between our two countries.  The first was our own Declaration of Independence, the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe of 1581, which inspired Thomas Jefferson and his peers.  The second was the American-Dutch Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1782, another remarkable document from an age when peace between countries was usually a heartfelt affair.  And today, friendship is still at the heart of the relationship between the United States and the Netherlands, along with trade, shared values, and joint responsibilities.

Since that first treaty we have worked together in the growing awareness that economic prosperity, a safe and stable world and international cooperation go hand in hand.  With this in mind, the President and I talked about a wide range of subjects, starting with a joint climate initiative and the new steps we will take today in that regard.  The Netherlands is joining with the United States and a group of other countries in a bid to stop international public funding of new coal-fired power plants, for example, by multilateral development banks.  We want to achieve an international level playing field to ensure that private and public parties invest in green growth wherever possible.

We also discussed the important topic of the Transatlantic Investment Partnership between the EU and U.S.  Once concluded, this agreement will create more economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.  Importantly, it will set new standards that will benefit global trade and third countries as well.  This partnership will bolster our excellent bilateral economic ties even further.

During our conversation I stressed how much we value this partnership.  The Netherlands is the world’s third largest investor in the United States and we are home to some 1,800 American businesses. 

And of course, we also spoke about the major international security issues in Syria, Iran and Ukraine.  Concerning the last, we both regard Russia’s attempts to annex the Crimea as a flagrant breach of international law and we condemn its actions in the strongest possible terms.  The presence of so many world leaders in the Netherlands this week presents an important opportunity for the international community to discuss this subject, as well as other pressing issues that affect our common interests.

Finally, we looked ahead at the Nuclear Security Summit today and tomorrow.  President Obama deserves all the credit for getting this topic high on the agenda.  In 2010, Washington hosted the first summit on this seat.  In 2012, it was Seoul’s turn.  And now the Netherlands is proud to host the summit today and tomorrow in The Hague that will bring us closer to the goal of securing potentially dangerous nuclear material.

Barack, your presence underlines the importance of the summit, and this event, too, demonstrates the strength of the bilateral ties between our countries and of our joint commitment to peace, security and democracy.  I’m delighted to be able to hear from you publicly here at this splendid location.

Again, thank you for coming.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Mark, thank you.  And it is a splendid location.  I’m so grateful for your kind words.  We were very pleased to welcome you back in 2011 to the White House, and I appreciate your warm welcome today.  This is my first visit to Amsterdam and to The Hague and to the Netherlands, and I’m so pleased that I’ve had a chance already to meet some wonderful students.  I want to thank the Mayor and the curator for their hospitality as well.  I’m proud to be with some of the Dutch masters who I studied in school, and to see just the extraordinary traditions of this great country. 

I’d be remiss if I did not mention that I’m proud of both of our teams at the Olympics.  So in addition to painting, you really know how to speed skate.  (Laughter.)

As the Prime Minister said, we just had an excellent opportunity to experience the museum and to see those documents, including the Treaty of Friendship that John Adams negotiated more than 200 years ago, as a reminder of the historic ties between our countries.  And this is -- of all the press conferences I’ve done, this is easily the most impressive backdrop that I’ve had to a press conference. 

Of course, we’re here for our third Nuclear Security Summit. And I want to thank His Majesty, King Willem-Alexander, as well as Mark, the people of the Netherlands, for all the preparations that go into bringing together so many heads of state.  This is just one more example of Dutch leadership -- not just on nuclear security, but on many global challenges. 

As you know, the Netherlands is one of our closest allies, and our cooperation underscores a larger point -- our NATO allies are our closest partners on the world stage.  Europe is the cornerstone of America’s engagement with the world.  And today we focused on several priorities -- in Europe and beyond.

First, we obviously spent a considerable amount of time on the situation in Ukraine.  Europe and America are united in our support of the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people.  We’re united in imposing a cost on Russia for its actions so far. Prime Minister Rutte rightly pointed out yesterday the growing sanctions would bring significant consequences to the Russian economy.  And I’ll be meeting with my fellow G7 leaders later today, and we’ll continue to coordinate closely with the Netherlands and our European partners as we go forward.

Second, I thanked the Prime Minister for the Netherlands’ strong commitment and contributions to NATO.  Dutch forces have served with distinction in Afghanistan and joined us in confronting piracy off the Horn of Africa.  Through NATO, the Netherlands contributed to the deployment of Patriot air batteries in Turkey and are making important investments in NATO defense capabilities.  Dutch forces are also making critical contributions to the international stabilization mission in Mali. So, across the board, the Dutch are making their presence felt in a very positive way, and we’re very grateful for that.

Third, we discussed how we can keep expanding the trade that creates jobs for our people.  We’re already among each other’s largest trade and investment partners, but we can always do more. And so I appreciated the Netherlands’ strong support for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or T-TIP, which can fuel growth both in the United States and in Europe, especially for our small and medium-sized companies.

Fourth, we discussed a range of global challenges.  And as the United States and the P5-plus-1 partners continue negotiations with Iran, we have the basis for a practical solution that resolves concerns over Iran’s nuclear program.  But at the same time, I think it’s important that everyone remember during these negotiations we’ll continue to enforce the overall sanctions architecture that helped bring Iran to the table in the first place. 

I also wanted to commend the Netherlands for its leadership in the international effort to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons, and that includes your role as the host of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.  And more broadly, our two countries are going to keep working together to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people.

And, finally, we reaffirmed our shared determination to confront climate change and its effects, including rising sea levels, which obviously is something that the Netherlands is concerned about, given your experience with seas and tides.  We’re pleased that the Netherlands has joined our initiative that will virtually end all public financing for coal-fired plants abroad.  It’s concrete action like this that can keep making progress on reducing emissions while we develop new global agreements on climate change.

So, a final note.  When John Adams was negotiating the treaty that we saw earlier, he wrote that the Dutch have -- and I’m quoting here -- have always “distinguished themselves by an inviolable attachment to freedom and the rights of nations.”  That was true then; it remains true today. 

So, Mark, I want to thank you and the Dutch for your hospitality, for your organization, for your partnership and for your leadership on the world stage.  And I want to thank you for sharing these extraordinary paintings with me this morning.

Dank u wel.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
11:00 A.M. CET

* * *  Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Subscribe in a reader to Dennys Global Politics

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!