Obama to Host the Largest Non-NYC Gathering of Foreign Leaders in US since 1945; but Bibi a no-show

[Clio the Leo]

Obama welcomes China's participation in nuclear summit
By Keith B. Richburg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, April 2, 2010; 8:45 AM
BEIJING -- China announced Thursday that President Hu Jintao will attend a nuclear security summit this month in Washington, in what analysts described as a sign that the government is trying to put relations with the United States back on track after months of tension.

In a late-night telephone call with Hu, the White House said, President Obama welcomed China's participation in the summit and said the event would be "an important opportunity" for the two countries "to address their shared interest in stopping nuclear proliferation and protecting against nuclear terrorism."

Obama stressed the need for the United States and China to work together to ensure that Iran lives up to its international commitments not to make nuclear weapons, the White House said in a statement to reporters about the hour-long phone conversation. He also urged Hu to work with him on global environmental and economic issues.

The Beijing government had been conspicuously quiet about its intentions regarding the April 12-13 summit. Many speculated that China would dispatch a lower-level delegation to show its displeasure with Washington over a $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan and President Obama's recent meeting with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

But China's decision to attend, announced by the Foreign Ministry, could help alleviate at least some tensions. That, in turn, could help the Obama administration win China's support for more sanctions on Iran, which Beijing has long resisted.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/02/AR2010040200986.html

Related: Bibi apparently not worried enough about Iranian nuclear activities to attend:

Bibi cancels Washington trip

By Miriam Shaviv, April 9, 2010
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has cancelled his attendance in the nuclear summit in Washington next week, due to fears that Israel would be pressured to sign the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The summit, which will include 47 nations, is part of Mr Obama's agenda towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Israel was initially due to send a low-level delegation but Mr Netanyahu agreed to take part after he received reassurances from American officials that Israel would not be forced to disclose its nuclear capabilities or commit to reducing them. Israel has long maintained a policy of 'nuclear ambiguity', in which it neither confirms nor denies whether it has nuclear weapons.

http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/30254/bibi-cancels-washington-trip

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Bibi is punishing Israelis more than Barack Obama

Whether it is his intention or not, this snub only serves to marginalize Israel in the world community.

[karynnj]

3. It appears that it is not because of his and Obama's relationship

Looking at a few Israeli English language papers, it appears it is because Eqypt and Turkey want to use the forum to pressure Israel to sign the NPT. From the Jersualem Post, the US agrees this is the reason -

"Speaking to reporters traveling with Obama, national security adviser James Jones said Israel did not want to be a catalyst for changing the theme of the summit."

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=172707

[Rage Inc.]

4. Bingo!

Netan Yahoo is doing his best to destroy his own country!

[KingFlorez]

6. That is right on the mark

A snub like this doesn't do Israel much good.

[karynnj]

2. An Israeli newspaper's perspective

I looked at one of the usually most balanced Israeli newspapers and their headline was that that the US/Israel ties are fine. This is interesting because it is obviously addressing an underlying concern - that Netanyahu's actions do not harm that relationship.

There explanation shows that this situation was NOT really related to any hurt feelings on the part of Netanyahu.

Netanyahu was due to arrive in Washington on Monday evening and was set to take part in three or four conference sessions the follwoing day, before returning to Israel on Wednesday.

Officials said the PM canceled the trip over fears that a group of Muslim states, led by Egypt and Turkey, would demand that Israel sign up to the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT.

A senior government official told Haaretz that that Israel was "disappointed" with developments in the run-up to the conference.

"The nuclear security summit is supposed to be about dealing with the danger of nuclear terror," the official said. "Israel is a part of that effort and has responded positively to President Obama's invitation to the conference."

The official added: "But that said, in the last few days we have received reports about the intention of several participant states to depart from the issue of combatting terrorism and instead misuse the event to goad Israel over the NPT."

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1161776.html

Now, the official's comment is telling - this is a NPT conference! It is also interesting that that effort is supposedly led by Eqypt and Turkey, which are with Jordan the countries Israel is on best terms with in the Arab world.

(The Jersualem Post pretty much says the same thing. http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=172707

This agrees with your second link, which said:

"The summit, which will include 47 nations, is part of Mr Obama's agenda towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Israel was initially due to send a low-level delegation but Mr Netanyahu agreed to take part after he received reassurances from American officials that Israel would not be forced to disclose its nuclear capabilities or commit to reducing them. Israel has long maintained a policy of 'nuclear ambiguity', in which it neither confirms nor denies whether it has nuclear weapons."

Here, the interesting thing is that the US could really not guarantee that other countries - at a NPT meeting - would not bring up Israeli nukes.

[Cha]

5. KR

[LittleBlue]

7. Bibi's a jackass wingnut

Good riddance. Meridor is at least decent.