THE UNITED States and the United Kingdom are to increase security co-operation to prepare for “over-the-horizon” challenges, US president Barack Obama and British prime minister David Cameron will announce today.
Having departed earlier than planned from Ireland on Monday night, Mr Obama and first lady Michelle arrived at noon yesterday at Buckingham Palace, where they were received by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
Later, Mr Obama held a brief meeting with Mr Cameron before the two left for a game of table-tennis with surprised students at a school in south London much favoured by the Conservatives after it was taken out of local authority control.
Mr Obama received the traditional 41-gun salute in Green Park accorded to leaders on state visits. He later inspected a guard of honour drawn from the First Battalion, the Scots Guards, who were serving in Afghanistan just a month ago.
Last night, Queen Elizabeth hosted a state dinner in the president’s honour in Buckingham Palace. This was attended by former Labour prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – who were not invited to last month’s wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The decision to invite the two is being seen as an olive branch from the palace and a public acceptance that it had made a mistake in not inviting them. Their Conservative predecessor, John Major, also attended last night’s dinner.
Leading US actors Tom Hanks, Kevin Spacey and Tim Burton were included among the VIP guests, along with billionaire businessman Richard Branson.
In her speech, Queen Elizabeth said Mr Obama “inevitably reminded” pelple of all of the shared histories of the UK and US.
Replying, Mr Obama, in a speech notably shy of much serious content, said Queen Elizabeth’s longevity on the throne illustrated the passing power held by presidents and prime ministers, saying that she had seen “about a dozen of each” during her reign.
Pointing to the ties that bind the two nations, he said millions in the US had some British heritage “including my one, from my mother”.
Today, he will deliver a closely watched speech in Westminster Hall to MPs and members of the House of Lords – he is only the fourth world leader ever to be so honoured.
The speech will concentrate on the challenges facing the US and Europe together.
Mr Obama, who has been distracted by the disastrous hurricane that has wrecked parts of Missouri, will travel to Deauville in France tomorrow for a Group of Eight meeting chaired by French president Nicholas Sarkozy before ending his European tour in Poland.
Mr Cameron and Mr Obama are to hold more substantive discussions today, focusing on the increasing efforts by the UK and the French to oust Col Muammar Gadafy in Libya, along with the turmoil elsewhere in the Arab world and terrorist threats.
In a bid to head off criticism that he is not much interested in Europe, Mr Obama joined Mr Cameron in penning an opinion piece for the Times, which repeatedly emphasised the ties between London and Washington: "Not just special, but an essential relationship. It's not only history that binds us. Whether fighting wars or rebuilding the economy, our needs and beliefs are the same.
“And that is the key to our relationship. Yes, it is founded on a deep emotional connection, by sentiment and ties of people and culture.
“But the reason it thrives, the reason why this is such a natural partnership, is because it advances our common interests and shared values,” they wrote.