Wrapping Up the G-8 Summit and Heading to Poland

This morning, President Obama wrapped up the G-8 Summit in Deauville, France, and held a bilateral meeting with French President Nicholas Sarkozy of France.  In a statement following his meeting with President Sarkozy, President Obama commented on the “enormous convergence of approaches and views on the challenges that we face around the world” including changes in the Middle East and North Africa.  The President also discussed the progress made in Libya:

We agreed that we have made progress on our Libya campaign, but that meeting the U.N. mandate of civilian protection cannot be accomplished when Qaddafi remains in Libya directing his forces in acts of aggression against the Libyan people.  And we are joined in resolve to finish the job.

We discussed the enormous opportunities as well as challenges that are presented by the Arab Spring, and shortly we’ll be discussing in depth how we can fully support countries like Egypt and Tunisia, not only as they transition to democracy but also ensuring that that democratic transition is accompanied by economic growth, which can provide more opportunities for all the people, particularly the young people in the region.

Later in the day, President Obama travelled to Warsaw, Poland where he participated in wreath laying ceremonies at both the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial.  The President also met with Jewish community leaders and Holocaust survivors at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial.

President Barack Obama lays a wreath at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in Warsaw, Poland, May 27, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

President Barack Obama visits with Jewish community leaders and Holocaust survivors at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial in Warsaw, , May 27, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)