Obama also discussed Iran, which wasn’t invited to the summit. Obama says the US will continue to push for a new round of sanctions over Iran’s nuclear activities.

President Obama: “With respect to sanctions, I think that we have a strong number of countries on the Security Council who believe this is the right thing to do. But I think these negotiations can be difficult, and I am going to push as hard as I can to make sure that we get strong sanctions that have consequences for Iran as it’s making calculations about its nuclear program and that those are done on a timely basis.”

There are reports the US is seeking to win China’s support for sanctions by assuring it of continued oil supplies and even drilling rights in the Persian Gulf in the event Iran cuts off oil shipments. In an interview with Iranian state television, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticized Obama’s stance but said Iran remains open to talks.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: “We are ready to talk to and to cooperate with them, if our rights, independence and honor are respected. Acknowledging Iran will benefit both sides. As far as Iran is concerned, we are not after any confrontation.”