国际英语新闻：Obama highlights U.S.-Britain special relationship

WASHINGTON, Mar. 3 (Xinhua) -- President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that the U.S.-Britain relationship is important to the American people, and that Britain is one of the closest and strongest allies of the United States.

    "The special relationship between the United States and Great Britain is one that is not just important to me, it is important to the American people," Obama told reporters after meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (R) walk through the Colonnade following a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. March 3, 2009.

Brown became the first European leader to meet with Obama at the White House, and he is scheduled to address at the Congress on Wednesday.

    "Great Britain is one of our closest, strongest allies," according to the president, the special relationship, which was labeled as "link and bond," between the two countries "will not break."

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown speaks during meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. March 3, 2009.

The global financial crisis and the security situation in Afghanistan are believed as the most important issues on the agenda of the U.S.-Britain summit, also of the special relationship between the two countries.

    Other issues discussed at the summit might include Iran's nuclear program, NATO's future, and the Anglo-American leadership in the transatlantic relationship.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown's chartered jet touches down ahead of his first visit to the United States during U.S. President Barack Obama's term, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland March 2, 2009

"I think that there are a set of shared values and shared assumptions between us, that we believe in the free market, we believe in a government that is not overbearing and allows entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive," said Obama.

    "But we also share a common belief that there have to be sufficient regulatory structures in place so that the market doesn't spin out of control," added the president, who is scheduled to participate the G20 summit on April 2 in London.

    Warning protectionist measures would hamper the global recovery, the British prime minister wants world leaders to agree a package of coordinated measures to support the world economy and fix its financial system at the G20 summit.

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrives for his first visit to the United States during U.S. President Barack Obama's term, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland March 2, 2009.

As to the international affairs, Obama said the two countries "have a shared worldview that it is important for us to be true to our values and ideals, of rule of law, of a belief in human rights, a belief in our democratic practices."

    "We also have to be respectful around the world and to listen and not simply dictate, that, in this new world that we live in, the way to get things done is to build partnerships and alliances as opposed to acting unilaterally," he said.

    Britain has been one of the United States' closest allies since the World War II and has played a positive role in the post-war military operations waged by the United States, such as the Persian Gulf War, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq