US President-elect Barack Obama congratulated the outgoing President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) and pledged to “work closely” with his successor. The US President-elect sent a message to outgoing NATO PA President José Lello on his “successful presidency.” Obama’s message stated, “I intend to work closely with the incoming NATO PA President, US Congressman John Tanner, on strengthening relationships with our allies and addressing global challenges together.”

The message went on to say, “The NATO Parliamentary Assembly provides a valuable forum for informed debate and consensus building among our Allies. It must continue its vital role in guiding the direction of the Alliance during its next decade and beyond.”

Tanner told the Plenary Session of the 54th Annual Session of the NATO PA meeting in Valencia which elected him President on 18 November that his presidency would emphasize two themes, the stature and operation of the Assembly and the interface between the Assembly and NATO. He told fellow parliamentarians, “it is up to us as a collective body of like-minded democracies to work together to try to find solutions to our global problems, whether it involves stabilizing Afghanistan, rebuilding Georgia, working with Russia, or addressing global warming and energy security,” adding, “there is no better forum where parliamentarians can come together, raise issues, and debate one another in an attempt to develop practical solutions to such important international challenges than this very Assembly.”

Tanner said, “the NATO Parliamentary Assembly provides an essential link between the parliaments of the NATO member states and NATO, providing critical thinking, informed guidance and potential solutions to the work of the Alliance .” This includes input into NATO’s new strategic concept that will be approved in 2010. The NATO PA began discussing its input at its 53rd Annual Session in Berlin in May.

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