EU and US open new chapter

 

EU leaders, meeting in Prague with US President Obama, strongly condemned North Korea's missile launch and traded views on the economy, climate change, energy, and trade.

They also discussed Iran’s nuclear programme, peace in the Middle East and assistance for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The North Korean launch came just hours before the 5 April summit, the last leg of Obama’s first European trip as president.

The European council and the US issued a joint statement that said North Korea’s ballistic missile programme was “aimed at providing it with the ability to threaten countries near and far with weapons of mass destruction”.

On the fight against climate change, president Barroso said there is growing convergence between Europe and the United States and both sides would cooperate more.

Mr Obama said the US was ready to lead an international effort to reduce nuclear arsenals. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to concluding long-stalled world trade talks.

Earlier, Obama had been in London for the G20 summit on the global economic crisis and in Strasbourg for a NATO summit on the 60th anniversary of the military alliance.