Sarkozy lands first visit as world leaders phone in

DAVID Cameron took phone calls from a raft of world leaders with French President Nicolas Sarkozy the first foreign leader to be invited on an official visit to Britain.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th May 2010, 13:12 BST
Updated 13th May 2010, 13:12 BST

He will visit the UK on June 18 to mark the 70th anniversary of the appeal issued by General Charles de Gaulle through the BBC to the citizens of Nazi-occupied France in 1940.

After a call from United States President Barack Obama on Tuesday night, Mr Cameron has since taken calls from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

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Mr Cameron also had a 15-minute conversation with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in which a number of "bilateral and global issues" were raised.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "In a 15-minute call, Premier Wen warmly congratulated Mr Cameron on his appointment.

"Both leaders reinforced the strong bilateral relationship between the UK and China, and looked forward to strengthening it further.

"They discussed a number of bilateral and global issues, including the global economic situation.

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"They agreed to build further the strategic dialogue, chaired on the UK side by the Foreign Secretary."

Prime Minister Hatoyama and the Prime Minister discussed the forthcoming G8 and G20 summits, Afghanistan and the global economy. The Taoiseach and the PM focused on Northern Ireland and Europe.

A call with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi focused on Europe, the shared G8 and G20 agenda and Afghanistan.

In a statement, Mr Obama said he looked forward to meeting the new UK premier, stressing the continuing importance of the "special relationship".

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He said: "I was pleased to call David Cameron to extend my personal congratulations for the successful campaign that he ran and for becoming the new British Prime Minister.

"As I told the Prime Minister, the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom, and I reiterated my deep and personal commitment to the special relationship between our two countries – a bond that has endured for generations and across party lines, and that is essential to the security and prosperity of our two countries, and the world."

Related topics:David CameronBritainUnited States