U.S. President Barack Obama says the NATO summit
has given "strong and unanimous" support to the new U.S. Afghan
strategy.
Mr. Obama told a news conference the effort in Afghanistan cannot be America's alone, and that NATO is matching real resources to meet its goals in Afghanistan. He spoke in Strasbourg, France at the conclusion of NATO's 60th anniversary summit.
However, he said more resources will be needed to defeat the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mr. Obama called the agreement to send an additional 5,000 troops to Afghanistan and their commitment to provide millions of dollars for a trust fund to assist that country shows NATO's seriousness in this case.
Mr. Obama also stressed NATO's need for maintaining good ties with Russia. He congratulated Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on his confirmation to replace NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, calling him the right person to lead the alliance in the 21st century.
Earlier French President Nicolas Sarkozy formally announced his country's full return to NATO's military command after a 40-year break.
Leaders of newly-admitted members Albania and Croatia formally took their seats at the meeting, as President Obama stressed that the alliance remains open to other candidates.
At the start of the day, the leaders joined Chancellor Angela Merkel and other heads of state and government on the German side of the Rhine River for a symbolic walk across a bridge leading into France. The leaders were joined halfway by President Sarkozy coming from the French side.
Mr. Obama will now fly to Prague for Sunday's U.S.-European Union summit.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
Mr. Obama told a news conference the effort in Afghanistan cannot be America's alone, and that NATO is matching real resources to meet its goals in Afghanistan. He spoke in Strasbourg, France at the conclusion of NATO's 60th anniversary summit.
However, he said more resources will be needed to defeat the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mr. Obama called the agreement to send an additional 5,000 troops to Afghanistan and their commitment to provide millions of dollars for a trust fund to assist that country shows NATO's seriousness in this case.
Mr. Obama also stressed NATO's need for maintaining good ties with Russia. He congratulated Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on his confirmation to replace NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, calling him the right person to lead the alliance in the 21st century.
Earlier French President Nicolas Sarkozy formally announced his country's full return to NATO's military command after a 40-year break.
Leaders of newly-admitted members Albania and Croatia formally took their seats at the meeting, as President Obama stressed that the alliance remains open to other candidates.
At the start of the day, the leaders joined Chancellor Angela Merkel and other heads of state and government on the German side of the Rhine River for a symbolic walk across a bridge leading into France. The leaders were joined halfway by President Sarkozy coming from the French side.
Mr. Obama will now fly to Prague for Sunday's U.S.-European Union summit.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.