Obama, Sarkozy agree on Middle East strategy
US, French president meet in Paris, discuss situations in Mideast, Iran and global recession. Obama says does not expect 60-years-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be resolved overnight; urges both sides to commit to peace process
President Barack Obama and French President Nicholas Sarkozy are again mutually calling for Iran not to develop a nuclear weapons program.
Talking with reporters after a meeting Saturday, the US president reaffirmed that there must be "tough diplomacy" with Tehran on this issue.
Addressing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the US president said that he does not expect a 60-year-old conflict to be resolved overnight, but added that he did expect both sides to realize that their future is intertwined.
Obama added that the US would like to see both sides committed to the negotiations, with the aim of advancing the two-state solution. He called on both sides to move beyond their current standstill and follow through in their respective commitments and obligations.
Reiterating the sentiments of his Cairo speech, Obama said that while the US expects Israel to stop settlement expansion, it also expects the Palestinians to stop terror and incitement. He then stressed that Washington could not impose any solution on Israel or the Palestinians.
Sarkozy agreed with Obama's call for Israel to stop building settlements in the West Bank and said he worries about "insane statements" by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Obama said that he and Sarkozy will work "in close collaboration" on many issues, including anti-terrorism strategy.
The two also reportedly discussed global recession and the situation in Afghanistan and Iran. The two also attended a D-Day memorial service.
Obama arrived in Paris on Friday night from Germany. He previously visited Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
