Prime Minister meets US Vice President Joe Biden
Statement following a meeting between David Cameron and Joe Biden.
A Downing Street spokesperson said:
The Prime Minister welcomed US Vice President Joe Biden to Downing Street this afternoon. The Prime Minister stressed his appreciation of the Vice President’s leadership over many years in ensuring a close and strong alliance between Britain and America.
They had a detailed discussion on Afghanistan and its region. They agreed on the importance of the transition to the Afghan National Forces as they take lead responsibility for security, and discussed future UK and US force levels in light of the significant progress being made by the Afghan Forces.
They also agreed on the importance of supporting the military strategy with a process of political reconciliation, and on the significant role Pakistan can play in ensuring a stable and peaceful Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister briefed the Vice President on the UK/Pakistan/Afghanistan Summit held at Chequers on 3 and 4 February. This discussion was continued in the National Security Council where the Vice President also thanked the Prime Minister for the continued contribution and sacrifice of UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister and the Vice President also discussed their shared ambition to launch negotiations for a comprehensive EU-US free trade agreement. They agreed that Britain and America should continue to work closely with other EU countries to achieve this.