Asia-Pacific

Obama to go ahead with visit to Aussie: Ambassador

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-15 10:45

CANBERRA - US Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich said on Monday President Barack Obama wants to go ahead with the visit to Australia, despite a busy schedule surrounding his health reform bill.

"The president is fully committed to coming out to Indonesia and Australia," Bleich told the Nine Network on Monday.

"He's consulted with the head of the Senate, the head of our House of Representatives and the timing, the location, those sorts of things are in flux, but the president wants to come out very badly."

"In the absence of something unforeseen, he's coming."

Bleich said Obama's wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha were very disappointed about not being able to accompany him and were particularly keen to go to Sydney.

The issues on the agenda for discussion during Obama's trip included energy, trade, nuclear non-proliferation and climate change, Bleich said.