Trump is committed to Nato, Obama reassures allies

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Mr Donald Trump told him he can assure European leaders the United States will not back off its commitments to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) alliance under the new administration, the latest indication that at least some of Mr Trump’s campaign promises are unravelling.

During the presidential campaign, Mr Trump questioned American commitment to the Nato alliance that has been a cornerstone of US global strategy since World War II, saying that European allies should pay more for their own defence.

But at the White House meeting last week, Mr Trump indicated he had “great interest in maintaining our core strategic relationships”, Mr Obama said early yesterday at an hour-long news conference, adding the assurance he will convey to Nato members in Europe is to “let them know there is no weakening of resolve” under the Republican President-elect.

“There is enormous continuity, beneath our day-to-day news, that makes us that indispensable nation when it comes to promoting order and prosperity around the world,” Mr Obama said, describing US military and diplomatic relationships in foreign countries. “That will continue.”

The President-elect had also expressed annoyance that Washington was paying more than its fair share in support of political-military alliances with Japan and South Korea.

But he has since spoken to South Korean President Park Geun-hye and promised to uphold their alliance as a bulwark against North Korea.

Mr Obama was preparing to depart for meetings with European leaders in Greece and Germany and with Asian and Pacific leaders in Peru, where he will assure foreign leaders the billionaire real-estate developer will be ready to lead the ‘‘free world’’ by his Jan 20 inauguration.

Just over a week ago, Mr Obama said Mr Trump could not be trusted with the US nuclear codes.

Describing Mr Trump as more pragmatist than ideologue, Mr Obama, who met with the President-elect at the White House last Thursday, made the case that the turn the US takes in international diplomacy might not be as sharp as the Republican’s campaign rhetoric suggested.

Mr Obama also said yesterday that he doubts Mr Trump would go through with a campaign promise to scrap the Iran nuclear deal.

By the time he takes office, Mr Trump may rethink his declarations that he would break the Iran nuclear deal because the agreement is achieving its aims, Mr Obama said.

When the accord was struck last year between Iran and major world powers, “the main argument against it was that Iran wouldn’t abide by the deal ... (But) we now have over a year of evidence that they have abided by the deal”.

“My suspicion is that when the President-elect comes in and is consulting with his fellow Republicans on the Hill, that they will look at the facts,” Mr Obama said.

“To unravel a deal that’s working and preventing Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon would be hard to explain”, particularly if it leaves Iran free to reconstitute its weapons programs, he said.

He also said Mr Trump might even rethink a campaign pledge to withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement the Obama administration negotiated. AGENCIES