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New low for US-UK ties as Obama meets Brown in a New York kitchen | US President Barack Obama finally agreed to a one-to-one meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but in
the most unlikely of places - a New York kitchen. The meeting significantly shows that relations between United States and Britain continue to experience a downswing
over the release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. Obama,
who is currently in New York attending the 64th session of the UN General Assembly,
has snubbed British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, leaving "the special relationship"
at its lowest ebb for nearly 20 years, reports The Telegraph. According to the
paper, British officials made five attempts to secure official talks with the
US President and even agreed to a policy change in an attempt to land a joint
appearance between the two leaders. But the White House rebuffed the offers and
Brown, had to settle instead for a snatched conversation with the President in
a New York kitchen. It was disclosed earlier this week that Brown would not hold
bilateral talks with Obama, despite the President hosting individual meetings
with the leaders of Japan, China and Russia. Downing Street claimed that this
was not unusual. However, a British diplomat told The Daily Telegraph that the
White House's refusal to meet Brown had been a serious embarrassment for the Prime
Minister. "It is wrong for people to say that we have been relaxed about the way
things have gone. There were five attempts to set up a meeting and none have come
off," he said. The White House said Brown and Obama would chair a meeting tonight
about Pakistan, and would "spend all day Friday together." However, Friday's meeting
in Pittsburgh involves the full G-20 group of world leaders. Obama has expressed
his dismay and anger at the release of the Lockerbie bomber in a telephone call
with Brown earlier this month. Brown has maintained that freeing the Libyan was
a matter entirely for the Scottish executive. Nearly 200 Americans died when Pan
Am flight 103 was blown up over Scotland in 1988. Yesterday, families of victims
protested at the UN in New York where Brown and Libya's leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi,
made speeches. |
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