Obama Seeks Deals, Meets Allies On World Stage

President Barack Obama turns his attention to economic diplomacy today in gatherings with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

Obama believes the fast-growing region will only become more important to the U.S.

He's been meeting with leaders of Pacific Rim nations in his home state of Hawaii and engaging in sidelines diplomacy on Iran

with the heads of two crucial countries, China and Russia.

Despite efforts to show unity with the two nations in responding

to new alarms about Iran's nuclear threat, Obama emerged from top-level meetings without winning a pledge of support.

The meetings follow a report from the U.N. atomic agency that asserts Iran has conducted secret work to develop nuclear arms. Obama believes the fast-growing region will only become more important to the U.S.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)