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Balkenende accepts Obama's invitation to G20 summit

News item | 16-07-2009

The Netherlands will participate in the G20 summit in Pittsburgh on 24 and 25 September 2009. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende accepted an invitation to the summit during his visit to US President Barrack Obama.

President Obama and Prime Minister Balkenende met at the White House on 14 July, accompanied by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Dutch foreign minister Maxime Verhagen. They discussed such current topics as the economic crisis, climate change, the situation in Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay.

Given that the Netherlands and the US share the values of freedom, democracy and human rights, said the Prime Minister, he is convinced that 'we can work together.'

G20

The Pittsburgh summit, with a joint approach to the global financial and economic crisis as its main agenda point, will be the third G20 gathering in a row in which the Netherlands will take part.

President Obama explained his invitation to the Netherlands by saying that it 'is one of the world's largest economies and most active internationally'. He added that Prime Minister Balkenende's international expertise and experience can contribute to a successful outcome in Pittsburgh.

Afghanistan

The two leaders' talks on Afghanistan included a discussion of the Dutch 3D approach (Defence, Development and Diplomacy). The President said that this approach is one of the examples that the US has drawn on for its current strategy in Afghanistan, calling the Dutch one of the most effective militaries there. He expressed the hope that the Netherlands will continue to give Afghanistan the benefit of its experience after the end of its current mission next year.

In response, the Prime Minister said that next year 'we will stop as lead nation in (Uruzgan) province'. He added that 'it's also good to underline that the Netherlands will not turn its back on the Afghan people. We feel a responsibility. We will go on with our development cooperation, and if there are requests we will consider them seriously.'

Guantánamo Bay

The US decision to close its prison at Guantánamo Bay also came up in the talks. President Obama mentioned the importance of European cooperation in making it possible to implement the decision. Prime Minister Balkenende said that the legal problems surrounding the closing will have to be solved, and said that the Netherlands would help devise and cooperate with a solution.