Najib and Obama in historic bilateral meeting

Najib and Obama in historic bilateral meeting

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and US President Barack Obama met in a historic bilateral meeting here, paving the way for a new era in Malaysian-American ties.

The two leaders looked relaxed as they settled down to their first ever bilateral meeting at 11.30am yesterday (Malaysian time 11.30pm) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre where Obama is hosting the inaugural two-day Nuclear Security Summit.

Najib and Obama talked for 40 minutes, longer than their scheduled half-hour meeting, flanked by Acting Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, who is Information Communi-cation and Culture Minister, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

They spoke about trade between their countries, security in the Asian region and Malaysia’s role in the Islamic world.

Najib and Obama: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak meeting US President Barack Obama at the Walter E. Washington Convention Centre ahead of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, sending clear signals of a fresh spring in relations between Malaysia and the United States. The two leaders spoke for 40 minutes. Najib and Chinese President Hu Jintao are the only leaders from Asia to meet Obama on the sidelines of the summit. — Reuter

Also in the Prime Minister’s delegation for the meeting were Foreign Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa and Malaysian ambassador to the United States Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis.

Najib is among more than 40 world leaders attending the summit but only one of two Asian leaders granted a face-to-face meeting with Obama. The other leader is Chinese President Hu Jintao.

It was a hectic day for the prime minister who began his day with an early morning meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel with US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinburg and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Howard Berman who paid a courtesy call on him.

Vice President Joe Biden Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to the Naval Observatory in Washington, Monday, April 12, for a luncheon meeting in conjunction with the Nuclear Security Summit. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The Prime Minister then headed to the convention centre for his meeting with Obama and later was hosted to lunch by US vice-president Joe Biden at the Naval Observatory.

He is slated to hold a bilateral meeting with his New Zealand counterpart John Key at the convention centre in the afternoon before attending a welcoming reception by Obama for all invited heads of government.

In the evening, Najib will attend a Heads of Delegation working dinner chaired by Obama where the discussion topic is “Threat of Nuclear Terrorism”.

Vice President Joe Biden standing, delivers remarks during a luncheon in conjunction with the Nuclear Security Summit, Monday, April 12, at the Naval Observatory in Washington, Seated, from left are, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak; Nigeria's acting President Goodluck Jonathan; Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; Thai Deputy Prime Minister Trirong Suwankiri; and White House's Non-Proliferation NSC Director Gary Samore. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

At the summit, Najib is expected to stress on Malaysia’s stance that any nuclear programme should be used only for development and peace.