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End Distractions and Take Serious Steps, Obama Tells North Korea (2009-11-19) The door is open to peacefully resolve the issue of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and allow it to become more integrated with the international community, President Obama says. But Pyongyang must take concrete action and work with its partners in the Six-Party Talks to make progress on the core issues of the discussions.

Obama spoke with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in Seoul November 19, the last stop on the president’s nine-day trip to East Asia. He said both countries will continue to have “extraordinarily close coordination” on efforts to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for “the reduction of sanctions and its increasing integration into the international community.”

The Six-Party Talks, which also include China, Russia and Japan, have seen a pattern “in which North Korea behaves in a provocative fashion, it then is willing to return to talks. It talks for a while and then leaves the talks, seeking further concessions,” Obama said. As a result, “there is never any progress on the core issues,” he said, and both he and President Lee “agree on the need to break the pattern.” 

President Obama’s Interview with Xiang Xi of Southern Weekly.  Obama answers questions on U.S.-China relations, trade and economic issues (2009-11-19). 
Q: So how do you see the China-America cooperation in Asia Pacific area?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think it's obvious that China's emergence as a major economic power in the world has been one of the most important things to happen over the last two decades. And part of the reason that China has been able to grow so rapidly is because of strong trade ties between the United States and China.

More importantly, we're seeing our relationship move beyond just issues of trade and economics. We're now consulting with each other on critical issues like climate change that can't be solved unless the United States and China participate.

And so increasingly I think what you'll see is a broad strategic relationship between the two countries in which not only are we seeking to cooperate on key economic issues that can increase prosperity for both peoples, but that we're also working closely together on everything from climate change to nonproliferation,, to dealing with issues of terrorism, to making sure that we're addressing critical issues like global poverty and food security.

And I welcome China's role in the world -- on the world stage. As it has more resources and more confidence, it's able to take on more and more responsibilities. And we look forward to being an effective partner with China.  See also: our dossier on US -China

Secretary Clinton’s Interview with Mujahid Jawad of Radio Azadi
Clinton answers questions on warlords, Taliban, Afghanistan and Pakistan (2009-11-19). 
QUESTION: [...]: There are reports in the media that U.S. is negotiating specific benchmarks with Afghanistan and Pakistan to pave the way for the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan. Can you speculate on these benchmarks?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I don’t think that they’re benchmarks that are as you describe them. I think what we’re trying to do is create some measurements that can determine whether we’re succeeding. I had a long discussion with the minister of defense, Minister Wardak. He’s very pleased at how much better integrated the Afghan military is with ISAF and the troops under the ISAF command. There’s more sharing of intelligence. There are more joint missions, more joint training.

That’s a good benchmark. That’s the kind of benchmark we’re looking at, because what we want to see is how can we determine that we’re making progress on the path that President Karzai outlined today, where your military will have what it needs to begin to take responsibility for much of the country moving toward the primary responsibility for all of the country.

Now, the United States wants to have a long-term relationship with Afghanistan. But we don’t see it as always primarily a military relationship, where we are putting our troops in to do combat. We see over time the professionalization of the Afghan military so that we would provide advice and training, certain kinds of support that you might not have on your own. But we also have a big civilian commitment. We have tripled the number of civilians who are doing development work, who are working with your government to build capacity within in your government.

That, to us, is equally important, and we want to be there for the long term to help Afghanistan increase the educational system, improve the healthcare system, see agriculture resume the rightful place that it used to have in Afghanistan where so many people know that it was the garden district of Central Asia with the orchards and the exports. And there’s a lot of good promise that we see in Afghanistan, and we want to be a good friend and a partner to help you achieve that.  See also: our dossier on Afghanistan

Economic Recovery Depends on Rebalancing Global Demand (2009-11-18). To establish a global foundation for growth and avert future economic crises, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says, the major advanced economies must rebalance global demand.

“The financial crisis also showed clearly that previous global economic patterns were unsustainable,” he said. “Cooperation through the (Group of 20) will remain essential as we start to unwind extraordinary measures and put in place the broad framework to achieve a strong, sustainable and balanced recovery, and implement profound financial reforms at home and abroad.”

“Emerging markets and economies with large and sustained surpluses will need to shift their growth towards domestic demand and reduce their reliance on exports,” Geithner told senators. “Governments around the world will need to accept this basic reality or we will all face slower growth.” See also: our dossier on Economic Issues

China, United States Urge Comprehensive Climate Change Agreement (2009-11-17).  The United States and China say they will work toward a successful outcome to the December 7–18 climate change summit in Copenhagen and in support of Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s call for a comprehensive agreement, President Obama told reporters in Beijing.

“As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, there can be no solution to this challenge without the efforts of both China and the United States,” Obama said November 17 in a joint statement with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

During their talks, the two leaders made progress on the climate change issue, Obama said. Along with a series of joint initiatives on clean energy, China and the United States agreed to work together to make the Copenhagen conference a success.  See also: our dossier on Climate Change