Obama: EU-US Partnership ‘Catalyst’ for Global Cooperation

European Council President Herman van Rompuy addresses the press conference following the first-ever annual EU-US summit in Lisbon, together with US President Barack Obama and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. Economy, security and foreign policy were the main items, European and US leaders agreed to boost economic and security ties and cooperation on issues like foreign aid and climate change during a summit in Lisbon. Following talks in Lisbon, European leaders and US President Barack Obama reaffirmed historically close transatlantic ties and vowed to deepen them in areas like boosting trade and investment and fighting security threats like organized crime and cyber-terrorism. Among other areas, the two sides have agreed to establish a working group on cyber security that will report on progress within a year. At a press conference, the European Union’s permanent president, Herman Van Rompuy, said both sides would work closely on two other key foreign policy issues of mutual interest – Iran’s nuclear program and an upcoming referendum on independence for southern Sudan, Voice of America reported. The EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is to expected to meet with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator next month. “We believe we now have a very good chance to engage Iran in direct talks under the leadership of the high representative (Ashton) on December 5. On Sudan we need to ensure that the upcoming referenda reflect(s) the will of the populations …