Obama's Speaks and Answers Questions at G20 June 27

Full video:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

After three days in Canada at the G8 and G20 gatherings of world leaders, Obama just finished speaking at the G20 and has one more meeting with Japan's new Prime Minister Kan Naoto, according to the WestWingReport. Then Obama heads back to the White House.
Obama says for some reason people keep being surprised when he does what says he was going to do. People should learn a lesson, he said.

Some of what he said, courtesy of CBS' Mark Knoller's tweets (I'll post video when it's up):

On NKorea, Obama says world needs to break "bad habit" of shying away from holding NK resp for its actions - ;like sinking of SK ship.

Obama notes Afghanistan is now America's longest war and "we’ll need to provide assistance to Afghanistan for a long time to come."

Obama expects that by end of year we'll "see progress" in Afghanistan & will conduct review & fix "those things not working."

Obama urges China against "willful blindness" about North Korea's "provocative and deadly" conduct.

Obama will get a better opportunity to talk to China's President Hu when he comes to the White House for a State Dinner.

At the G20, Obama met privately with David Cameron, South Korea's President Lee, China's Hu and Indonesia's President Yudhoyono.

Check out some photos here.

Obama and South Korean President Lee at G20 Video

G8 and G20 Roundup June 26

Obama and PM David Cameron flew from G8 to G20 together

Video of Obama's arrival to the G20 here.

Read Obama's "From Crisis to Recovery" here.
Read Obama's opening statements and more on the White House blog here.

Obama met with leaders of China, South Korea and UK.

Read Obama and China President Hu's remarks here.

Read Obama and South Korean President Lee's remarks here.

Read Obama and Cameron's remarks here.

Read Timothy Geithner's press briefing here.
Read the G8 declaration here.
Read the G8 statement on nuclear weapons and Iran here.
Read the G8 initiative on hunger here.

The G20 leaders are meeting again in November in South Korea.

Visit the G20 site here.

G8 joint statement on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict by Dmitry Medvedev, President Of The Russian Federation, Barack Obama, President Of The United States Of America, and Nicolas Sarkozy, President Of The French Republic:

We, the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group's Co-Chair countries, France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America, reaffirm our commitment to support the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they finalize the Basic Principles for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

We welcome as a significant step the recognition by both sides that a lasting settlement must be based upon the Helsinki Principles and the elements that we proposed in connection with our statement at the L’Aquila Summit of the Eight on July 10, 2009, relating to: the return of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh guaranteeing security and self-governance, a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh; final status of Nagorno-Karabakh to be determined in the future by a legally-binding expression of will, the right of all internally-displaced persons and refugees to return, and international security guarantees, including a peacekeeping operation.

Now the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan need to take the next step and complete the work on the Basic Principles to enable the drafting of a peace agreement to begin. We instruct our Ministers and Co-Chairs to work intensively to assist the two sides to overcome their differences in preparation for a joint meeting in Almaty on the margins of OSCE Informal Ministerial.

Here is a readout of Obama's meeting with Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper:

President Obama and Prime Minister Harper met shortly after the G8 dinner session on Friday night. The two leaders have coordinated closely leading up to - and through - the G8. They reviewed the progress that was made throughout the day, and agreed to continue to coordinate their efforts heading into the G20. They also briefly discussed a range of bilateral and global issues. The President appreciates the leadership that Prime Minister Harper has shown around the G8 and G20 Summits.

Obama and S. Korean President Lee, Obama and Cameron

Obama's Call With South Korean President Lee

From the White House:

President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myong-bak spoke this evening by telephone as part of their ongoing consultations on the full range of U.S.-ROK alliance issues. President Lee provided an update on the status of the investigation into the sinking of the ROK naval vessel Cheonan in which 46 Korean sailors lost their lives. He expressed appreciation on behalf of the Korean people for U.S. support in the Cheonan rescue and salvage operations, as well as for the participation of U.S. experts in the international inquiry. The two leaders emphasized the importance of obtaining a full accounting of the event and committed to follow the facts of the investigation wherever they lead. They also pledged their utmost efforts to ensure the security of the Republic of Korea, its armed forces, territory and its people. President Obama reaffirmed the strong and unwavering commitment of the United States to the defense and the well-being of its close friend and ally, the Republic of Korea.

President Obama and President Lee reiterated that North Korea must live up to its commitment to eliminate its nuclear-weapons program, comply with its international obligations under relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, and put an end to belligerent behavior towards its neighbors. President Obama confirmed that Secretary Clinton would visit Seoul for consultations next week and that the defense and foreign ministers of the two countries would hold their first-ever “Two plus Two” meeting in July. Presidents Obama and Lee agreed to remain in close touch, and to meet at the time of the G-20 meeting in Canada in June.

Obama's Arrival in South Korea Nov. 18

Tonight, Obama meets with President Lee Myung-bak. Obama will speak to troops in S. Korea at 1:20 am eastern. He arrives back in DC tomorrow.

Obama and South Korea's Lee's Press Conference

Obama Confers With South Korean President

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Lee, leaving South Korea at around 09:00 a.m. local time (0000 GMT), will have a summit with President Obama on Tuesday to discuss over cooperative plans for denuclearizing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and inspecting the conditions of the South Korea-U.S. combined defense.

In particular, the two leaders are to jointly adopt a statement entitled "The Joint Vision for the Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. alliance" in a move to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance.

Issues related to the South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), awaiting ratification by both countries' parliamentary bodies, the ongoing global financial crisis, and industrial technology alliance will also be dealt in detail during the summit, local media reported. Xinhua

Obama Meets With South Korea's President To Talk North Korea

North Korea is about to blast off a satellite between April 4-8. Obama met with South Korean president Lee Myung-Bak today to discuss:

The two leaders met at the ExCel Center, where the G-20 summit is being held. Thursday's all-day opening session is aimed at finalizing the summit's main goal -- a statement of unity by of heads of state in managing the global financial crisis.

Senior White House officials said Obama and Lee discussed the missile test that North Korea is expected to launch any day now, despite repeated protests by the United States, Japan and South Korea and disapproval from Russia and China.

While the reclusive North Korean government says the missile test is part of a peaceful research effort to put a communications satellite into orbit, experts outside the country say it is an effort to try out long-range missiles that could eventually be armed with nuclear warheads.

Obama expressed admiration for Lee's "calm resolve" as North Korea has prepared the launch and hurled invective at its neighbors, the senior official said. Obama told Lee North Korea "will not be able to drive a wedge between the U.S. and South Korea" and said a launch would be a violation of Security Council resolutions. Read the rest at WaPo

G20 Photos April 2

Obama and South Korea's Lee Myung-bak
Obama and India's PM Manmohan Singh
Michelle Obama at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School



Michelle and other First Ladies at Royal Opera House, where she met J.K. Rowling