President Obama in UK: Visit`s focus shifts to politics
Baku, May 25 (AZERTAC). Afghanistan and Libya are expected to feature prominently when US President Barack Obama and David Cameron meet for talks at Downing Street later.
As the focus of his state visit shifts to politics, Mr Obama will also address MPs and peers in Westminster Hall.
He and the PM are also due to drop in on a barbecue hosted by their wives for families of military personnel involved in joint UK-US missions overseas.
On Tuesday, Mr Obama praised the solidarity the UK had shown the US.
He was speaking at a banquet, in honour of his three-day visit, hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
He and wife Michelle also laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey and met the newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
At the evening banquet, the Queen gave a toast to what she called the "tried, tested and, yes, special relationship between our two nations".
She said: "I firmly believe that the strength of our links and many shared interests will continue to ensure that, when the US and the UK stand together, our people and other people of goodwill around the world will be more secure and can become more prosperous."
Mr Obama said the Queen was "a living witness to the power of our alliance and the chief source of its resilience".
He thanked the UK for its solidarity since the 9/11 attacks 10 years ago and in tackling the security threats that have followed, and also paid tribute to the UK`s military forces for "standing shoulder to shoulder with the US for decades".
The banquet was attended by the prime minister, his deputy - Nick Clegg - Labour leader Ed Miliband and former PMs Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and Sir John Major.
Other famous names among the 170 guests included former athlete and politician Lord Coe, actors Tom Hanks and Kevin Spacey, actress Helena Bonham Carter, entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and London Mayor Boris Johnson.
The Nato operation in Libya and ongoing tensions in the Middle East and north Africa are expected to be high on the agenda when Mr Cameron and Mr Obama meet in the morning in Downing Street.
Mr Clegg will also attend the talks, where the state of the global economy, counter-terrorism and the conflict in Afghanistan are also likely to feature.
After the meeting, the two men are expected to hold a joint press conference and drop in on the barbecue before heading to Buckingham Palace for a private lunch.
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