US President Barack Obama will meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to discuss a wide range of issues including North Korean provocative actions, the White House said today.
Obama would discuss North Korean provocative actions with Keqiang tomorrow, while Israeli security would top the agenda of his talks with Netanyahu, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said before the US President was scheduled to leave the White House for New York.
"President Obama will have a pull-aside with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday, September 19. The two leaders will discuss steps to deepen the US-China relationship, while addressing issues of bilateral and regional concern, including North Korea's provocations," Earnest said.
North Korea fired three ballistic missiles on September 5 towards the Sea of Japan, drawing widespread criticism with the UN security council strongly threatening "further significant measures" if the Pyongyang regime continued its missile and nuclear weapons development work.
On Wednesday, September 21 - also on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York City - Obama will take part in a bilateral meeting with Netanyahu, he said.
"The meeting between the President and Prime Minister will afford them an opportunity to discuss the strong ties between the US and Israel, as recently underscored by the finalisation of a new 10-year Memorandum of Understanding with Israel, the single largest pledge of military assistance in US history.
"The meeting also will be an opportunity to discuss the need for genuine advancement of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the face of deeply troubling trends on the ground. Additionally, the leaders are likely to discuss continued implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and other regional security issues," Earnest added.
The meeting between Obama and Netanyahu will take about a week after the US and Israel signed an unprecedented new security agreement that will give the Israeli military USD 38 billion over 10 years, the largest such agreement America has ever had with any country.
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