President Barack Obama Video - conferenced with PM Gordon Brown

A Downing Street spokesman said:

"The Prime Minister and President Obama had a 45 minute video-conference this evening, focused on Afghanistan and climate change.

On Afghanistan, the two leaders took stock on overall strategy, and this week's US/UK announcements. They agreed on the importance of combining military and political strategies in Afghanistan, as well as on the need for continued action by Pakistan. They acknowledged good progress on burden sharing, and agreed that they would continue to encourage ISAF allies to do more. The US welcomed plans for a conference on Afghanistan in London on 28 January.

On climate change, they both expressed a commitment to securing a comprehensive accord that has immediate operational effect at the Copenhagen Summit, and agreed to coordinate closely on preparations."