Obama lauds strong Europe and France ahead of NATO summit (2nd Lead)

Apr 3, 2009, 12:20 GMT

Strasbourg, France - US President Barack Obama on Friday called for a stronger Europe and praised French President Nicolas Sarkozy for his leadership in the conflict in Afghanistan.

'We want strong allies. We would like to see Europe have more robust defence capabilities,' Obama said after talks with Sarkozy in the French city of Strasbourg. 'We are not looking to be patrons of Europe; we are looking to be partners of Europe.'

The two leaders held their first head-to-head talks since Obama was elected to the White House. They met ahead of the opening of a two-day NATO summit in Strasbourg and the German cities of Kehl and Baden-Baden to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the alliance's founding.

'NATO is the most successful alliance in modern history,' Obama said. 'The basic premise of NATO was that Europe's security was also US security, and vice versa. This is a pillar of American foreign policy.'

The US president received a rock star's welcome when he arrived at the Palais de Rohan in Strasbourg.

Responding to cheers and applause from the crowd, a smiling Obama greeted the spectators with handshakes, calls of 'Nice to see you' and 'It's good to be here.' At one point, he even leaned into the crowd to kiss a young woman.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, exchanged kisses with Sarkozy and the French first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, before the four entered the palace where the two leaders met for their first head-to-head discussion since Obama's election to the White House.

France is to be officially welcomed back as a full NATO member on Saturday, 43 years after Charles de Gaulle pulled the country out of its military command structure and kicked US bases out of French territory.

Officials say France's return to the NATO fold is likely to have important repercussions for the alliance. A French general is expected to take over one of the two top NATO command posts, the Allied Command Transformation project, which has its headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia.

In addition, France and Italy are to be given joint leadership of a NATO regional command in Lisbon, Portugal, one of three NATO regional commands.

Obama and Sarkozy last met briefly in Paris in the summer of 2008 when Obama, then a presidential candidate, visited several European capitals.

The American president is scheduled to return to France on June 6 to take part in festivities commemorating the anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces invaded Nazi-controlled France in 1944.