President Barack Obama said Tuesday that the U.S. and France would stand shoulder to shoulder on a range of global security issues, as he pledged that the two countries would work together to ensure that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Mr. Obama and French President François Hollande appeared at a joint news conference at the White House, vowing to collaborate on foreign policy, trade and climate change. The U.S. president said the two leaders were united on continuing diplomatic efforts in Iran and Syria.
"President Hollande and I agree on the need to continue enforcing existing sanctions even as we believe that new sanctions during these negotiations would endanger the possibility of a diplomatic solution," Mr. Obama said. "And we remain absolutely united on our ultimate goal, which is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."
He said the two countries would cooperate to strengthen the moderate opposition to the government in Syria and ensure that Syria destroys its chemical weapons.
"Just as our unity on Syria and the credible threat of force led to a plan for destroying Syria's chemical weapons, we're united on what needs to happen next there," Mr. Obama said. "Syria must meet its commitments, and Russia has a responsibility to ensure that Syria complies."
Mr. Hollande had warm words for the countries' relationship, saying the two countries "have always been allies, have always been friends, but now we trust each other in an unprecedented manner."
Mr. Obama also said he had accepted Mr. Hollande's invitation to travel to France in June for the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Obama welcomed the French president to the White House to kick off an official state visit aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the Middle East and Africa.
The visit aims to bolster a close alliance that was strained last year by Mr. Obama's decision, in August, to back away from an immediate military strike on Syria and instead put the decision to Congress. That action came just after Mr. Hollande vowed to join a potential strike against the Middle Eastern country, and it left the French president exposed to criticism in his own country.
The two leaders met in the Oval Office Tuesday morning and then spoke with delegations from both countries.
Read more of this report from The Wall Street Journal.