Obama Welcomes British PM to White House, Mideast on Agenda

Posted March 14th, 2012 at 8:55 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. President Barack Obama has welcomed his closest ally, British Prime Minister David Cameron, to the White House.

Mr. Obama hosted an elaborate arrival ceremony Wednesday for the official state visit.

He called the relationship between the United States and Britain “one of the greatest alliances the world has ever known” and the “one constant” through the twists and turns of history.

Mr. Obama and Mr. Cameron plan to discuss Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and the upcoming NATO and G-8 summits. The prime minister will also be the guest of honor at a White House state dinner.

The two leaders wrote in The Washington Post newspaper Tuesday that the U.S.-British alliance is a “partnership of the heart, bound by the history, traditions and values” that the two countries share.

They said they are working with other global economic powerhouses to create jobs, sustain the global recovery, and resolve Europe's debt crisis.

On Tuesday, Mr. Obama shared his passion for basketball with Mr. Cameron, treating him to a U.S. springtime tradition — a college tournament game in Ohio between Western Kentucky University and Mississippi Valley State.

It was the first basketball game Mr. Cameron has attended. He told a television reporter that the game moved fast and the rules are a bit confusing.