Obama Urges Britain Not to Leave the European Union

The President of the United States has urged British citizens to vote to remain in the European Union in the upcoming referendum. Barack Obama has arrived in London as part of his recent foreign trips. In an article published on April 22 on the British website 'Telegraph', Mr. Obama states that issues such as terrorism, immigration, and economic problems are better addressed with Britain's continued presence in the European Union. British citizens will go to the polls on June 23 of this year (in two months) to decide on their country's continued membership in the EU. In the last referendum on this matter, held in 1975, two out of three people voted to remain in the Union. Obama writes in his article, 'The United States sees how Britain's strong voice in Europe leads to Europe taking solid steps. It also ensures that the European Union remains open, has a realistic outlook, and maintains a close relationship with its allies across the Atlantic.' However, the U.S. President's approach has critics in Britain, including Boris Johnson, the influential Mayor of London, who is a staunch opponent of his country's continued EU membership. Barack Obama is scheduled to have lunch on Friday at Windsor Castle (the largest inhabited castle in the world, located in Windsor) with Queen Elizabeth, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. He will then meet and discuss with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who supports remaining in the EU. Reuters reports that current polls indicate an increase in support for remaining in the Union, but many citizens have not yet made a definitive decision. According to the same news agency, the government and many American banks and companies are concerned that a potential British exit from the EU could lead to market tensions, reduce the influence of Washington's most important ally in Europe, diminish that country's role in the global economy, and harm Western security.