WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will hold talks with President Barack Obama in Washington on March 3 on the global financial crisis and a comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan, the White House said on Saturday.
'The United States and the United Kingdom share a special partnership, and the president looks forward to working closely with the prime minister to address common global challenges,' White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
The two leaders would discuss the G20 summit in London on April 2 and the upcoming NATO summit, in particular Obama's call for a new, comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan, where both countries' troops are part of a NATO-led force battling rising insurgent violence, the statement said.
Britain supported the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, despite strong domestic opposition to the wars. A staunch U.S. ally, Britain often refers to the so-called 'special relationship' between the two countries.
The announcement of the visit follows news that the United States has agreed to release Binyam Mohamed, a British resident, held at the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for the past five years without charge.
Obama last met Brown in London last year when he left the U.S. presidential campaign to tour several European capitals to show off his foreign policy credentials.
(Editing by Eric Walsh) Keywords: USA BRITAIN/BROWN (ross.colvin@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: ross.colvin.reuters.com@reuters.net; +1 202-898-8392) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'The United States and the United Kingdom share a special partnership, and the president looks forward to working closely with the prime minister to address common global challenges,' White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.
The two leaders would discuss the G20 summit in London on April 2 and the upcoming NATO summit, in particular Obama's call for a new, comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan, where both countries' troops are part of a NATO-led force battling rising insurgent violence, the statement said.
Britain supported the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, despite strong domestic opposition to the wars. A staunch U.S. ally, Britain often refers to the so-called 'special relationship' between the two countries.
The announcement of the visit follows news that the United States has agreed to release Binyam Mohamed, a British resident, held at the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for the past five years without charge.
Obama last met Brown in London last year when he left the U.S. presidential campaign to tour several European capitals to show off his foreign policy credentials.
(Editing by Eric Walsh) Keywords: USA BRITAIN/BROWN (ross.colvin@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: ross.colvin.reuters.com@reuters.net; +1 202-898-8392) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.