Obama To Meet Hollande, Xi At G-20, Putin Chat Possible

[Purveyor]

Source: USA TODAY

WASHINGTON—President Obama will meet on the sidelines of the G-20 summit with France's President Francois Hollande and China's President Xi Jinping, according to a senior administration official.

The official, who asked not to be identified because the president's schedule for the summit has yet to be released, told USA TODAY there are currently no plans for Obama to have a formal bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but expects the two presidents could have an opportunity to speak on the margins of the various meetings during the summit.

Obama had planned to visit Putin in Moscow for meetings ahead of the G-20, which will be held on Thursday and Friday in St. Petersburg, Russia, but canceled the Moscow trip last month, following a string of disputes, including Russia's decision to grant asylum to former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and its blocking of action by the United Nations Security Council against Syria.

One objective for Obama's time at the G-20, which will focus on global economic issues, is to round up support from the international community for military action against Syria.


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/03/obama-bilateral-hollande-xi-g-20-putin/2760409/

[DallasNE]

1. China And Russia Have Been Playing Nice Of Late

So if Obama can get any kind of agreement with Xi at the G20 summit it could slow down the kissy face China and Russia have been doing as of late. While China gets oil from Iran, Syria has no such leverage so this could be possible, especially since Saudi Arabia, with its oil, is on opposite sides with Syria. Putin may have well overplayed his hand here by not realizing what drives the other characters in this puzzle. Economic muscle will probably carry the day in St. Petersburg, Russia.

[delrem]

2. I wonder if Obama thinks the rest of the world is as comfortably numb as the US citizens?