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US, UK to sign new ‘Atlantic Charter’ ahead of G7

Biden is due to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson near Cornwall, where the G7 summit takes place from Friday to Sunday, on the fringes of which Biden is expected to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, among other G7 leaders, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

US President Joe Biden arrived in the United Kingdom to attend the Group of Seven Summit in Cornwall, commencing his first overseas trip as president.

He touched down at Royal Air Force (RAF) Mildenhall in Suffolk on Wednesday evening (local time).

A large crowd of US Air Force personnel and their families were waiting for him inside a hangar, where he is due to address them.

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden delivered remarks at RAF Mildenhall.

Addressing the personnel, Biden said that the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and the issues that matter most to our future

“At every point in the way, we’re going to make it clear that the United States is back and democracies of the world are standing together to tackle the toughest challenges and the issues that matter most to our future. That we are committed to leading with strength, defending our values, and delivering for our people,” Biden said.

On Thursday, Biden is due to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson near Cornwall, where the G7 summit takes place from Friday to Sunday, on the fringes of which Biden is expected to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel, among other G7 leaders.

New Atlantic Charter

The US and UK have pledged to agree on a new “Atlantic Charter” to cement trade, travel and tech ties between the two nations.

A new taskforce will be set up to make recommendations on easing restrictions as part of the new Atlantic Charter.

The taskforce will be overseen in the UK by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and will be chaired by senior officials in the US and UK, it was reported.

In advance of the summit, the leaders are due to agree on a new charter, modelled on the policy statement made by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 which set out their goals for the post-war world, CNBC reported.

G7

“Just as our countries worked together to rebuild the world following the second world war, so too will we apply our combined strength to the enormous challenges facing the planet today – from global defence and security to building back better from coronavirus to stopping climate change,” Downing Street said in a statement.

Meanwhile, according to a BBC report, the travel industry figures have dismissed the latest moves by the US and UK to reopen travel.

The Chief of Virgin Atlantic said the announcement “falls short”, the BBC reported.

Chief executive Shai Weiss quoted as saying: “The creation of the Atlantic Taskforce is positive recognition of the importance of the UK-US travel corridor and a first step towards reopening the skies.”

But he said the lack of a specific time frame for reopening travel meant airlines, businesses and passengers faced a lack of certainty, it was reported.

Meanwhile, at the end of their visit to Britain, the US president and the first lady are to be received by Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle near London on Sunday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson chairs the Cabinet Meeting and uses a G7 mug. (Pic – Pippa Fowles No 10)

On Monday, Biden plans to attend the NATO summit in Brussels, where a top-level meeting with EU representatives is scheduled for the following day.

On Wednesday of next week, Biden is expected to hold an eagerly awaited summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva before the US president returns to Washington.

The White House said: “This trip will highlight America’s commitment to rallying the world’s democracies, coming together to shape the rules of the road for the 21st century, defend our values, and tackle the world’s biggest challenges.”

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