Five things Obama will do at the UN

President Obama hasn’t had much time lately for anything other than the economy, jobs, and maybe a little worrying about the midterm elections. But he’ll focus a good chunk of this week on foreign affairs when he decamps Washington for the United Nations in New York.

3. Meet with China’s premier

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President Obama meets with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at the UN Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Dec. 18, 2009.

The Obama administration has invested in putting US-China relations on stronger footing than they were under President Bush, and Obama’s meeting with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao seeks to keep what administration officials consider “one of the world’s obviously essential bilateral relationships” moving forward. Among issues to be discussed: Iran and the global economy. Some in Congress are pressing for a tougher US approach to the Chinese on both. As yet unclear: how deeply the president will delve into the issue of “currency manipulation” with Mr. Wen.

Obama will also hold separate meetings with the presidents of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, demonstrating the administration’s interest in Central Asia and, in particular, the roles those countries play in prospects for stability in Afghanistan.

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