This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/21/obama-arrives-in-london-with-eu-referendum-high-on-the-agenda
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Barack Obama pleads with UK voters to 'stick together' with rest of EU | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| President Barack Obama has made an emotional plea to British voters – as a “friend and ally” – to “stick together” with the rest of the European Union , as he arrived in the UK to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. | President Barack Obama has made an emotional plea to British voters – as a “friend and ally” – to “stick together” with the rest of the European Union , as he arrived in the UK to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. |
| With the result of June’s referendum looking too close to call, Obama eschewed careful diplomatic language to make a direct appeal to voters to back remain. | With the result of June’s referendum looking too close to call, Obama eschewed careful diplomatic language to make a direct appeal to voters to back remain. |
| “As citizens of the United Kingdom take stock of their relationship with the EU, you should be proud that the EU has helped spread British values and practices – democracy, the rule of law, open markets – across the continent and to its periphery,” he wrote in an article in the Daily Telegraph. | “As citizens of the United Kingdom take stock of their relationship with the EU, you should be proud that the EU has helped spread British values and practices – democracy, the rule of law, open markets – across the continent and to its periphery,” he wrote in an article in the Daily Telegraph. |
| He evoked the close cooperation between the US and UK during the second world war, citing president Franklin D Roosevelt’s toast to King George VI in 1939, when he said: “I am persuaded that the greatest single contribution our two countries have been enabled to make to civilisation, and to the welfare of peoples throughout the world, is the example we have jointly set by our manner of conducting relations between our two nations.” | He evoked the close cooperation between the US and UK during the second world war, citing president Franklin D Roosevelt’s toast to King George VI in 1939, when he said: “I am persuaded that the greatest single contribution our two countries have been enabled to make to civilisation, and to the welfare of peoples throughout the world, is the example we have jointly set by our manner of conducting relations between our two nations.” |
| But contrary to the claims of some in the leave camp that the UK could strengthen its ties with the US by leaving the EU, he insisted: “I will say, with the candour of a friend, that the outcome of your decision is a matter of deep interest to the United States. The tens of thousands of Americans who rest in Europe’s cemeteries are a silent testament to just how intertwined our prosperity and security truly are.” | But contrary to the claims of some in the leave camp that the UK could strengthen its ties with the US by leaving the EU, he insisted: “I will say, with the candour of a friend, that the outcome of your decision is a matter of deep interest to the United States. The tens of thousands of Americans who rest in Europe’s cemeteries are a silent testament to just how intertwined our prosperity and security truly are.” |
| He added: “The US sees how your powerful voice in Europe ensures that Europe takes a strong stance in the world, and keeps the EU open, outward-looking, and closely linked to its allies on the other side of the Atlantic. So the US and the world need your outsized influence to continue – including within Europe.” | He added: “The US sees how your powerful voice in Europe ensures that Europe takes a strong stance in the world, and keeps the EU open, outward-looking, and closely linked to its allies on the other side of the Atlantic. So the US and the world need your outsized influence to continue – including within Europe.” |
| Obama’s unequivocal language is likely to infuriate leading figures in Vote Leave, the main anti-EU campaign, who believe the prime minister has been able to distort the public debate by calling on a range of global policymakers to support his case for remain. | Obama’s unequivocal language is likely to infuriate leading figures in Vote Leave, the main anti-EU campaign, who believe the prime minister has been able to distort the public debate by calling on a range of global policymakers to support his case for remain. |
| Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, said that by backing the remain campaign Obama would be asking British citizens to accept a surrender of sovereignty that Americans would never be willing to contemplate. | Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, said that by backing the remain campaign Obama would be asking British citizens to accept a surrender of sovereignty that Americans would never be willing to contemplate. |
| “I have a huge amount of respect for America’s unrelenting commitment to the patriotic principle of self-governance. President Obama, and every one of his predecessors, have ferociously protected the sovereignty of the USA.” | “I have a huge amount of respect for America’s unrelenting commitment to the patriotic principle of self-governance. President Obama, and every one of his predecessors, have ferociously protected the sovereignty of the USA.” |
| David Cameron will hold talks on a range of foreign policy issues including the battle against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. | David Cameron will hold talks on a range of foreign policy issues including the battle against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. |
| The talks on the fight against Isis will focus on how to retake the northern Iraqi city of Mosul – something that Obama has said he hopes may be possible by the end of this year. | The talks on the fight against Isis will focus on how to retake the northern Iraqi city of Mosul – something that Obama has said he hopes may be possible by the end of this year. |
| Mosul, where Isis has its Iraqi headquarters, is viewed as the key strategic prize after Iraqi forces recently took back Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Britain is part of the US-led coalition that provides training and air support to Iraqi forces. | Mosul, where Isis has its Iraqi headquarters, is viewed as the key strategic prize after Iraqi forces recently took back Ramadi, west of Baghdad. Britain is part of the US-led coalition that provides training and air support to Iraqi forces. |
| Related: Barack Obama has a right to be heard on Europe. And Britain should listen | Peter Westmacott | Related: Barack Obama has a right to be heard on Europe. And Britain should listen | Peter Westmacott |
| Cameron and Obama will also discuss the progress in taking on Isis in Syria, where British planes have joined the US bombing campaign since the House of Commons voted to back military action in December. | Cameron and Obama will also discuss the progress in taking on Isis in Syria, where British planes have joined the US bombing campaign since the House of Commons voted to back military action in December. |
| Downing Street sources said that in total, across Syria and Iraq, coalition airstrikes had killed more than 25,000 fighters and destroyed or damaged more than 22,000 targets. They added: “The fall of Mosul is an important objective, and tomorrow’s talks are expected to address how this will be achieved.” | Downing Street sources said that in total, across Syria and Iraq, coalition airstrikes had killed more than 25,000 fighters and destroyed or damaged more than 22,000 targets. They added: “The fall of Mosul is an important objective, and tomorrow’s talks are expected to address how this will be achieved.” |
| Speaking before the trip, the prime minister said: “[Isis’s] brutal campaign of terror is creating instability and causing unimaginable suffering in Syria, Iraq and beyond. I look forward to talking to the president about our joint efforts to root out extremism around the world. I am confident that Britain and the US can continue to build on a solid basis of friendship and a shared commitment to freedom, democracy and enterprise to shape a better world for future generations.” | Speaking before the trip, the prime minister said: “[Isis’s] brutal campaign of terror is creating instability and causing unimaginable suffering in Syria, Iraq and beyond. I look forward to talking to the president about our joint efforts to root out extremism around the world. I am confident that Britain and the US can continue to build on a solid basis of friendship and a shared commitment to freedom, democracy and enterprise to shape a better world for future generations.” |
| Obama will also attend a 90th birthday lunch for the Queen during his visit. He and Cameron will then fly on to Germany for a summit with the German, Italian and French leaders on Monday about the future of Libya. | Obama will also attend a 90th birthday lunch for the Queen during his visit. He and Cameron will then fly on to Germany for a summit with the German, Italian and French leaders on Monday about the future of Libya. |
| The United Nations envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, said foreign powers should offer training and military support to Libya’s fledgling government, combined with an end to the UN arms embargo. | The United Nations envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, said foreign powers should offer training and military support to Libya’s fledgling government, combined with an end to the UN arms embargo. |
| “The Isis expansion can only be stopped militarily,” he said. “There is a consensus that a united Libyan army needs training; the lifting of the weapons embargo is very important.” | “The Isis expansion can only be stopped militarily,” he said. “There is a consensus that a united Libyan army needs training; the lifting of the weapons embargo is very important.” |
| His comments come as Isis steps up its offensive against Libya’s oilfields. An assessment has circulated in foreign missions reporting that, in the past two weeks, the militant group has broken out of its base in the coastal town of Sirte. | His comments come as Isis steps up its offensive against Libya’s oilfields. An assessment has circulated in foreign missions reporting that, in the past two weeks, the militant group has broken out of its base in the coastal town of Sirte. |
| Related: David Cameron can learn a lot from Obama. Decency and dignity for starters | Polly Toynbee | Related: David Cameron can learn a lot from Obama. Decency and dignity for starters | Polly Toynbee |
| The Obama summit with European leaders has a wide agenda, but the presence of the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, suggests a chief focus will be Libya, including the need to defeat Isis and stem the migrant crisis. The west is pressing the new Libyan government to seek permission for the EU’s Operation Sophia to operate inside Libyan waters, increasing the effectiveness of the EU’s efforts to defeat the people traffickers. | The Obama summit with European leaders has a wide agenda, but the presence of the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, suggests a chief focus will be Libya, including the need to defeat Isis and stem the migrant crisis. The west is pressing the new Libyan government to seek permission for the EU’s Operation Sophia to operate inside Libyan waters, increasing the effectiveness of the EU’s efforts to defeat the people traffickers. |
| Obama has described Libya as his biggest foreign policy mistake, and there is now no quick way to persuade the many Libyan factions to unite behind a stable UN-backed Government of National Accord. | Obama has described Libya as his biggest foreign policy mistake, and there is now no quick way to persuade the many Libyan factions to unite behind a stable UN-backed Government of National Accord. |
| Three weeks after he arrived in the capital, Libya’s prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, is shunned by both an Islamist-led Tripoli government and the elected parliament in Tobruk. The need to garner sufficient political support has led Sarraj to hold off from formally requesting western help, including allowing the west to operate in Libyan sovereign waters. His opponents are already accusing him of being a tool of the west. | Three weeks after he arrived in the capital, Libya’s prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, is shunned by both an Islamist-led Tripoli government and the elected parliament in Tobruk. The need to garner sufficient political support has led Sarraj to hold off from formally requesting western help, including allowing the west to operate in Libyan sovereign waters. His opponents are already accusing him of being a tool of the west. |