AP
U.S. President Barack Obama waves from the doorway of Air Force One upon
his arrival for his two-day state visit in Malaysia, at the Royal
Malaysian Air Force base in Subang, Malaysia, on Saturday.
Opening the first visit to Malaysia by a U.S. president in nearly half a
century, Barack Obama looked ahead Saturday to economic and security
talks with Prime Minister Najib Razak, who leads a southeast Asian
nation with an important role in efforts to forge deeper relations with
Asia.
Stepping off his plane and onto a red carpet at the Royal Malaysian Air
Base, Mr. Obama was whisked by limousine to Kuala Lumpur’s Parliament
Square, where canon salutes rang out as Malaysia’s king and prime
minister greeted Mr. Obama under muggy skies. A military band played the
U.S. and Malaysian national anthems twice and Obama inspected an
elaborate honor guard in crisp green and white before the arrival
ceremony came to a close.
Mr. Obama’s next stop was the Istana Negara, the National Palace, for an
audience with Malaysia’s royal family before he takes his seat on later
Saturday at a state dinner being held in his honour.
During the two—day visit, which follows stops in Japan and South Korea,
Mr. Obama will also meet with citizen leaders and hold a town hall—style
forum with young leaders from across the region. But Obama rejected
calls from human rights groups to meet with a prominent opposition
leader while in Malaysia.
Ben Rhodes, Mr. Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said relations
between the U.S. and Malaysia have blossomed in recent years and that
the country has become a “pivotal state” in the Obama administration’s
push to strengthen ties throughout the fast—growing and strategically
important region.
Trade, defense and maritime security are among the issues Mr. Obama and
Mr. Najib were expected to discuss during talks scheduled for Sunday.
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