Hands across the Atlantic (CANADA)

"I think we did okay," concluded U.S. President Barack Obama after last week's London G20 summit on the world financial crisis. It was a verdict that could reasonably be applied to all three summits - Prague and Strasbourg, as well as London - and to the numerous bilateral meetings the President attended on his whirlwind European tour that ends today in Turkey.

Where security permitted, Mr. Obama received his usual rock-star welcome from large crowds of young Europeans. He established good personal relations with all the major European leaders. And he delivered a bold substantive speech calling for the popular goal of curbing nuclear proliferation.

Americans at home will conclude from the news coverage that their new President has restored America's reputation somewhat. All the summits ended in some kind of agreement. Mr. Obama's bilateral meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was cordial. And the overall impression from the tour is that the Atlantic alliance is recovering nicely to tackle some important but soluble economic and security questions.

Okay seems a fair verdict - and maybe slightly better than okay.

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