Gates to skip NATO summit, citing budget work

[unhappycamper]

Gates to skip NATO summit, citing budget work
The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Mar 14, 2009 8:46:28 EDT

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates is passing up next month’s 60th anniversary NATO summit, his spokesman said.

Gates had hoped to be at the summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, with President Barack Obama, spokesman Geoff Morrell said.

Morrell said Friday, however, that Gates was engulfed in work on the 2010 Pentagon budget and decided he could not make the trip.

Morrell said Gates is reviewing all major defense programs to determine whether they fit into a budget reworked “to reflect the president’s national security priorities.”

Obama and his wife, Michelle, will be in the two summit cities April 3-4. On April 5, they will end their trip in Prague, Czech Republic.


Article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/03/ap_gates_nato_031409/%2e