Johnson is expected to hold bilateral talks with Biden during his four-day trip to the US for the UNGA, the prime minister will try to mend relations with Washington, reports Asian Lite News
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will attempt to patch up Britain’s frayed relationship with US President Joe Biden’s administration at a White House meeting between the two leaders this month, The Times newspaper reported on Monday, citing sources on both sides.
Johnson is expected to hold talks with Biden during a four-day trip to the US for the UN general assembly, which starts in New York on September 21, the report said.
The 76th UN General Assembly (UNGA) is opening on September 14. The high-level week will start on September 21 and will last until the 27th.
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Johnson is expected to hold bilateral talks with Biden during his four-day trip to the US for the UNGA, The Times said, adding that the prime minister will try to mend relations with Washington. Downing Street had asked Biden’s administration to have the meeting coincide with the UNGA trip, the newspaper specified.
Sources told The Times that there is “a suspicion in Washington that Johnson doesn’t want to be too tough on Beijing” and Biden will use the opportunity during talks with Johnson to get the prime minister to support the US, which sees “China as the great strategic challenge of the 21st century.”
One senior diplomatic source told the newspaper that if London wants to have an influence on issues like Russia, China and climate change, it will not be able to do so alone.
83 heads of state expected to attend UNGA
Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), said that 83 heads of state are expected to attend the 76th session which opens on September 14.
“To date, the heads of 83 states have personally announced their intention to attend, 26 have applied for a recorded performance,” Bozkir said on Thursday while addressing his final press conference in his capacity as the UNGA President.
Those who will participate in person include one Vice President, 43 heads of government, three Deputy Prime Ministers and 23 Foreign Ministers, Bozkir added.
“We have a lot of people, leaders who have the intention to come here. Of course, we also limited the number of people who will come into the building.
“Because the accompanying delegations are larger than the expectations from time to time, so there will be only 1+6 all together (for each delegation),” the Turkish diplomat added.
The first day of the high-level General Debate of the UNGA 76 will be September 21.
It will conclude on September 27.