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President Obama Meets with the Sultan of Brunei

Summary: 
President Obama hosts His Majesty Sultan of Brunei for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office to affirm the relationship between our two countries that dates back more than 160 years.

Today, President Obama hosted His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office to affirm the relationship between our two countries that dates back more than 160 years.

The two leaders discussed their shared interest in a strong, peaceful, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region, and continued cooperation between our nations on a range of issues.

With Brunei set to host October’s ASEAN East Asia Summit meeting, President Obama said they would be working together on “everything from how we deal with issues of energy and climate change to how we expand commerce, potentially through the Trans-Pacific Partnership that has the opportunity of creating jobs and prosperity here in the United States but also throughout the region.”

President Obama also said that His Majesty has shown great leadership around maritime issues in the Asia-Pacific region, and noted his work to help youth in Southeast Asia learn English, which can help expand commerce and strengthen ties between the United States and the area.

Read full remarks from the meeting here.

President Obama Meets with Sultan of Brunei in the Oval Office

President Barack Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam in the Oval Office, March 12, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)