Persian Realm

LONDON : President BarackObama reassured the UK that the so-called "special relationship"between the US and UK was alive and well, describing it as "one of theoldest and one of the strongest alliances the world has ever known". During a two-day state visitto England, President Obama and first lady Michelle were welcomed by QueenElizabeth and privately met with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Obama toasts"special relationship" with the UK :

Queen Elizabeth Toasts President Obama:

Obama’s Full Speech ToastingQueen Elizabeth (CBS News):

President Obama gave thistoast to Queen Elizabeth II and guests at a state banquet at Buckingham PalaceTuesday. After the president took a long pause, the orchestra starting playingpresumably too soon, causing an awkward moment at the elegant dinner.

William, Kate welcome Obamas in London ( CBS News):

(NOTE :To Watch Double Click Here)

President Obama WestministerHall address opening Joke :

Michelle Obama reunited with British schoolgirls (ITN News):

Michelle Obama has beenreunited with a group of London schoolgirls she met during a previous visit toBritain

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The SpecialRelationship : Cameron & Obama’s Joint

Speeches

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Cameron: 'Special relationship will getstronger' (ITN News) :

Obama: Special relationship 'strongerthan ever' (ITN News):

Recommended Watching:

Obamastate visit: Is relationship 'special' or 'essential'? (BBC VIDEO HERE)

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President Obama’sFull Speech at Westminister Hall

The Historical Setting of the British Parliament

(May 25th, 2011)

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President Obama’s Full Speech at Westminister Hall :

Part I:

(NOTE: To Watch Double Click Here)

Part II:

(NOTE: To Watch Double Click Here)

Part III:

(NOTE: To Watch Double Click Here)

Speaker of the House of Lords Baroness Hayman sums upPresident Obama's speech :

(NOTE : To Watch Double Click Here)

Obamatells UK 'special relationship' is alive and well by David Stapsted (TheNational)

LONDON // Barack Obamareassured the UK that the so-called "special relationship" betweenthe US and UK was alive and well, describing it as "one of the oldest andone of the strongest alliances the world has ever known".

The US president was speakingto an of audience members of both Houses of Parliament in a speech at the900-year-old Westminster Hall, crowded not only with MPs and lords, but alsoformer prime ministers Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Sir John Major.

In a wide-ranging speech, MrObama made only brief reference to the Iraeli-Palestinian conflict, saying thatthe US and Britain were "united in our support" for a secure Israeland a sovereign Palestine.

"After years of conflict,the United States has removed 100,000 troops from Iraq, the United Kingdom hasremoved its forces and our combat mission there has ended.

"In Afghanistan we havebroken the Taliban's momentum and will soon begin a transition to Afghan[leadership].

"And nearly 10 yearsafter 9/11, we have disrupted terrorist networks and dealt al Qa'eda a hugeblow by killing its leader Osama bin Laden," Mr Obama said.

"As new threats spreadacross borders and oceans, we must dismantle terrorist networks and stop the spreadof nuclear weapons, confront climate change and combat famine and disease.

"And as a revolutionraces through the streets of the Middle East and North Africa, the entire worldhas a stake in the aspirations of a generation that longs to determine its owndestiny."

Earlier Mr Obama and DavidCameron first cooked burgers together yesterday and then jointly roasted Libya,Syria and the Taliban's links with al Qa'eda.

The president and prime minister manned the barbecue, cooking sausages andburgers, while their wives, Michelle and Samantha, served side dishes in theDowning Street garden in an unusual lunch for 150 US and British militaryfamilies.

On the second day of thepresident's three-day state visit to the UK, the pair each came up with verysimilar recipes for solving some of the world's great ills.

At a press conference inLondon following bilateral discussions yesterday morning, Mr Obama maintainedthat Nato forces were "preparing to turn a corner" in Afghanistan.

He said that he and Mr Cameron"affirmed the importance of beginning the transition to an Afghan lead forsecurity this year and completing that transition by 2014".

The president added: "Wediscussed the opportunity that exists for promoting reconciliation andpolitical settlement, which must be an Afghan-led process.

"President Karzai hasmade it clear he will talk to anyone who is willing to end the violence, splitwith al Qa'eda and accept the Afghan constitution."

Mr Cameron stressed that theTaliban had to make a "decisive split" with al Qa'eda if a politicalsettlement in Afghanistan was to be brokered.

The prime minister alsopraised the US operation against Osama bin Laden, describing it as a"strike right at the heart of international terrorism".

On Libya, Mr Cameron would notbe drawn on whether Britain would join France in sending attack helicopters tothe front line but both he and Mr Obama insisted that there was no future forthe country while Colonel Muammar Qaddafi remained in power. He said both theUK and US were looking at "all options" for "turning up theheat" on the regime.

"Qaddafi and his regimeneed to understand there will be no let-up in the pressure we areapplying," said Mr Obama.

"We will continue thoseoperations until Qaddafi's attacks on civilians cease. Time is working againstQaddafi and he must step down from power and leave Libya to the Libyanpeople."

Mr Obama also praised thecourage of Syrians peacefully opposing President Bashar al Assad's regime.

He added: "The UnitedStates welcomes the EU's decision to impose sanctions on President Assad andincreasing pressure on him and his regime in order to end his policy ofrepression and begin the change people seek."

Mr Obama also said that he andMr Cameron had discussed Yemen and "expressed their joint concern at thedeteriorating situation on the ground".

More generally, Mr Cameron urged the international community to seize the"once in a generation moment" to support pro-democracy movements inthe Middle East.

He added that he would pushfor a "major programme" of political and economic support forreformist governments in the region at this week's G8 summit in France.

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