A New Chapter: Europe Is Ready to Work With Obama

[babylonsister]

A New Chapter: Europe Is Ready to Work With Obama

By THOM SHANKER and HELENE COOPER
Published: January 3, 2009


WASHINGTON — After rebuffing the Bush administration on a number of fronts, European governments are signaling that they may be more willing to engage with the incoming Obama administration on a variety of stalled issues, including taking in prisoners from the Guantánamo Bay detention center and strengthening sanctions against Iran.

But it may not be all honeymoon: European diplomats say they will push President-elect Barack Obama to soothe Russian anger over plans to establish missile defense bases in Europe. And American officials say that the Obama administration is certain to press countries to fulfill, or even increase, pledges for personnel and equipment for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, long a point of tension among allies.

“There are expectations across Europe that the United States will be asking more,” one senior American official said. “The question is whether decisive amounts will come.”

One issue that may be back on the table is resettling detainees from the Guantánamo Bay prison camp. Though there is still not consensus among European governments, several, led by Germany and Portugal, have said that they will consider taking in detainees if Mr. Obama follows through on his promise to close the Guantánamo prison.

Such a move would remove a major stumbling block to closing the camp and would represent a reversal on the part of European allies who have rejected requests by President Bush to resettle detainees.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/washington/04diplo.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[Kdillard]

1. It is so laughable that they want to give Condi Rice credit for any

sort of gain that may or may not happen when the new administration takes over. She has to go down as one of the least effective SOS in recent memory. Pretty pathetic but I can see why the Bush administration would be jealous that Europe would be willing to enter discussions with President Obama and not an incompetent like Bush.

[babylonsister]

2. I agree, she's been useless. I have much higher hopes for Clinton. nt