Obama Seeks -- and Receives -- Renewed Trans-Atlantic Ties at NATO Summit

April 6, 2009

In Strasbourg on April 3, President Obama said that for years our efforts in Afghanistan have lacked the resources needed to achieve the Alliance’s goals. He recommitted the United States to dismantling of al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mr. Obama went on to say that the United States cannot do this alone; he was pleased that NATO allies pledged their strong and unanimous support for the new U.S. strategy.  Slovakia also announced at the NATO summit that it would send a medical team to Afghanistan and contribute to the training of security units. Currently 176 members of Slovak armed forces operate in Afghanistan. And a parliamentary resolution from June 2008 enables deployment of 246 troops to Afghanistan.  Charge d’affaires Keith Eddins, appearing on the April 3 broadcast of TA3’s Téma dňa, that the importance of Afghanistan and Pakistan  have not changed from the autumn of 2001; problems still exist in Afghanistan and at the Afghan-Pakistani border. The United States in cooperation with its allies committed themselves to prevent Taliban and al Qaeda from attacking the United States or any country in Europe or in the world.

• Media Coverage (TA3)
• Read more about President Obama at the NATO Summit at America.gov