Obama to discuss Afghanistan with Rasmussen next Friday

U.S. President Barack Obama will meet next Friday with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to discuss ending the war in Afghanistan and other regional issues. "On Friday, May 31, President Obama will welcome NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to the White House. As the most successful alliance in history, NATO lies at the heart of the transatlantic relationship, serving as the bedrock for building shared approaches to the security challenges we share with our 27 NATO allies," said White House Press Secretary in a statement late on Tuesday. "The President looks forward to discussing global and regional security concerns with the Secretary General, to include ending the war in Afghanistan while building an enduring partnership with the Afghan government; sustaining and improving allied defense capabilities and transatlantic burden sharing; and further enhancing NATO's network of capable partners," he added. Carney concluded that Rasmussen's visit "underscores the vital importance the United States places on the North Atlantic Alliance and our relationship with Europe, and our common commitment to tackle challenges from Afghanistan to the Balkans to the Indian Ocean together."