President Obama, British Prime
Minister David Cameron, French President François Hollande, German Chancellor
Angela Merkel, and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi met today for talks at
Schloss Herrenhausen in Hannover, Germany. The conversation covered the
most urgent issues on the trans-Atlantic agenda. The leaders agreed that
the implications of irregular migration to Europe posed a severe challenge that
needed to be addressed in a comprehensive and sustainable manner, reflecting
the values that Europe and the United States share: this implies ongoing NATO
and EU activities as well as efforts to tackle the root causes of flight and
migration.
On Syria, leaders shared the growing
concern that the increasing violations of the agreed Cessation of Hostilities
by the regime and the continued obstruction of humanitarian access undermine
efforts to bring relief to the Syrian people. They called on all parties
to respect the cessation, ensure humanitarian access, and contribute to the
success of the Geneva talks on political transition in line with the Geneva
Communiqué. They also called on those with influence on the parties to
the conflict to press them to refrain from any actions that put the cessation
and political talks at risk.
On ISIL, leaders welcomed the
Coalition’s continued progress in Iraq and Syria and reiterated their full
commitment to defeating the terrorist group.
On Libya, leaders welcomed the steps
currently undertaken by the Presidency Council to establish a fully functional
and effective government. Leaders emphasized their full support for these
efforts. With regard to the growing threat posed by ISIL and the destabilizing
impact of criminal smuggling networks, they agreed on the strong and urgent
need to support the Libyan people in growing the economy and building the
capacity of the security sector. This would help counter criminal
smuggling networks and counter the threat posed by ISIL. They agreed that
these efforts should be undertaken at the request of the Libyan government and
be supported by the international community. The leaders also urged NATO and
the EU to draw on their experience in the Aegean to explore how they could work
together to address in an orderly and humane way migrant flows in the central
Mediterranean.
On Ukraine, leaders reiterated their
rejection of Russia’s occupation and attempted annexation of the Crimea. There
was agreement that full implementation of the Minsk agreements remained
crucial. The leaders reiterated that sanctions against Russia would be lifted
if the Minsk agreements were fully implemented.
Finally, the leaders discussed the
importance of concluding an ambitious Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership agreement, which would expand growth and create jobs on both sides
of the Atlantic.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
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