Obama Diplomacy On New NATO Chief Helps Avert Crisis

[babylonsister]

President Obama Exercises Diplomacy, Helps Avert Mess (Again)

April 04, 2009 1:28 PM


On the heels of his negotiations at the G-20 economic summit - where he negotiated a way out of a potential logjam spurred by a heated debate between France and China over tax havens - President Obama exercised his negotiating skills once again on this overseas trip, this time at the NATO Summit.

This time the debate was over whether Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen should become the next secretary general of NATO.

Rasmussen enjoyed widespread support among leaders of 27 member states, with one notable exception: Turkey. The Muslim nation objected to Rasmussen's outspoken support of free speech during the 2006 controversy over cartoons of the prophet Mohammed that appeared in Danish newspapers.

But President Obama supported his candidacy, today calling Rasmussen "an outstanding public servant, somebody with an extraordinary reputation, and I have confidence that he's the right man to help lead NATO during a period in which we are moving from a vision first created in the 20th century to a vision that responds to 21st-century challenges."

Friday night at a three-hour working dinner in Baden Baden, Germany, President Obama played an “the lead role” in opening up the discussion about Rasmussen's candidacy, a source who was there -- and is not a member of the Obama administration -- tells ABC News.

Obama told his fellow NATO leaders that he believed Rasmussen was the right man for the job, but that everyone needs to be convinced. Mr. Obama told the leaders that all countries need to be able voice their concerns.

With that, Turkish President Abdullah Gul voiced his concerns. This enabled Gul to avoid “feeling like a decision was already precooked," the source says. “This was critical because like other countries, if you’re put in a corner then you recede. If you feel like people are forcing you into a decision that has already been made you’ll rebel.”

Adds the source: “It’s important for small counties to feel that they have a voice. Obama gave this to Turkey.”

more...

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/president-oba-3.html

[HopeOverFear]

1. Wow

gobama.

[Cali_Democrat]

2. Once again Obama shows the rethugs what a real leader is

K&R

[Cha]

3. That's our Prez..

Trying to bring people together but not always succeeding as in the case of die hard, fascist US repukes.

[ClarkUSA]

4. I hope saber-rattlers and warmongers learn something from Pres. Obama's foreign policy approach.

He's his own best SoS, as far as I'm concerned.

[JaneQPublic]

5. It shows what a community organizer can do.

I'm beginning to think a few years' experience in community organizer is worth decades as a governor or congressperson for a president to be successful.

[grantcart]

6. And Turkey gets an early visit from President Obama where he will give

his first speech from an Islamic country (will this be the first by any sitting American President?)