PRESIDENT SARKOZY: (As translated.) Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon to all of you. Welcome. I would like to say to the President of the United States of America how proud France is to welcome him for the second time this year.
This afternoon we will be talking about the ceremonies and the commemoration of the D-Day landings, but I want to say in the strongest, most sincere terms that never in the history, perhaps, of our two countries, has the United States and France been so close to one another on major issues, major questions.
I said to the President that we are determined to help him in his decision to close down -- shut down Guantanamo. I told President Barack Obama to what extent we support his open, outstretched hand initiative to Russia. We approve and endorse this policy.
I said to the President that we totally agreed with him on the Israeli and Palestinian issue -- two states that need to live alongside one another, an Israeli state whose security we're very attached to, and a secure Palestinian state; and to what extent we support American diplomacy when it requested that an end, a stop and a hold be put to settlements.
On the Iranian matter, I've said this in very frank and open terms to the Iranian Foreign Secretary how important it is that he take the hand outstretched by President Obama, that we -- we, France, Europe and the United States -- are totally aligned on this and we cannot in any way accept the insane statements made by President Ahmadinejad.
On North Korea, we have total convergence of views with the American President. And of course, France is delighted to have fully reintegrated NATO, as I said to the American President.
So really it is a pleasure to work with Barack Obama. We work regularly together. He knows that France is a friend of the United States. We basically coordinate on all major issues and we are determined to continue that.
Barack, welcome. Welcome to your family.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: It's wonderful to be back in France, particularly on this day, because this day marks not only the triumph of freedom, but it also marks how the transatlantic alliance has allowed for extraordinary prosperity and security on both sides of the Atlantic. The fact that France fully reintegrated into NATO this year, under President Sarkozy's leadership, is just one further indication of the degree to which U.S.-French cooperation can help to underpin not only security in Europe, but also a more secure and prosperous world beyond Europe.
I very much appreciate President Sarkozy's leadership on a whole range of issues -- he mentioned a number of them: France's leadership within Europe in understanding the need for us to have tough diplomacy with the Iranians, to reach out to them, but also insist that we can't afford a nuclear arms race in the Middle East; our close collaboration on a whole host of issues with Russia; France's willingness to accept a Guantanamo detainee, but more broadly, to help us as we want to deal with the terrorist threat, but do so in a way that is consistent with our values and our ideals; the assistance that all NATO allies, as well as others, are providing in helping to bring about a more peaceful and democratic Afghanistan.
On all of these issues, President Sarkozy has not just cooperated, he's led. And that kind of approach I think is serving the interest of France, but it's also serving the interest of the world. And we're very grateful for that.
Obviously I also want to make mention of the extraordinary tragedy of the Air France plane that we believe may have gone down. We don't know yet what exactly happened, but it is heartbreaking obviously for the families, who the American people offer thoughts and prayers. We have already authorized all of our resources to coordinate with the French in trying to discover where the plane went down and to find as much information as possible. But our deepest condolences to the people of France, as particularly to the families involved. And we are determined to find out what happened and support France in that regard.
So with that, I think that we can take a question.
Q Mr. President -- (inaudible) --
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Apparently you're speaking without a microphone, so the translator cannot hear you. Do we have a mic anywhere?
Q Yes, right here. Mr. President, you said yesterday that you hoped to see significant progress in the Middle East by the end of this year. What did you mean by that?
And, President Sarkozy, you had a meeting earlier this week with the Iranian Foreign Minister. What message was he able to give you to pass on to the President? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think all of us understand what would constitute progress when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Progress would mean that the parties involved supported by not just the United States, not just by France, but also by other Arab states, are in serious, constructive negotiations about how to achieve a two-state solution.
I don't expect that a 60-year problem is solved overnight, but as I said before, I do expect both sides to recognize that their fates are tied together and that it is in the interests of Israel, its security interest, as well as the interest of the Palestinians, to resolve this in a peaceful way.
There are whole host of difficult questions out there. We all know what those questions are. But I believe President Sarkozy and I agree that we have to move beyond the current stalemate. Both sides are going to have obligations. I've discussed the importance of a cessation of settlement construction, but I also want to reemphasize, because that's gotten more attention than what I've also said, which is the Palestinians have to renounce violence, end incitement, improve their governance capacity so that Israelis can be confident that the Palestinians can follow through on any commitments they make across the table.
Now, I cannot impose such negotiations or, certainly, the terms of a final settlement on the parties. That's their task. President Sarkozy cannot impose peace in that region. But what we can do is to be friends to Israel, honest in our assessments of what it's going to take, hold the Palestinians accountable for their end of the bargain, and move the process forward. And we are going to try to put as much energy as we can into it. My special envoy, George Mitchell, is going to be returning to the region this week and we are going to systematically work through as many of these issues as possible.
One last point I want to emphasize: The Arab states have to be a part of this process. It's not sufficient just to point at the Palestinian problem and then say we are not going to engage, we're not going to take responsibility. They are going to have to step up as well because the Arab states not only are important politically, they're also important economically. And to the extent that they put their shoulder behind the wheel, that can move the process forward in a significant way. Read the rest here
