US Vice President Joe Biden attended a security meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday, after warning that Washington would prefer Britain to remain in the European Union, dpa reported. Biden told the Times newspaper in a pre-visit interview that the United States believed Britain was "stronger as a result of its membership. And we believe the EU is stronger with the UK's involvement." His London visit is the final leg of a short European visit which also took him to Berlin, Munich and Paris, where he praised France for its "decisive" action in Mali. Cameron caused concern in Europe last month when he announced plans to renegotiate Britain's membership and put the results to an in/out referendum if he wins the next election. US President Barack Obama has made clear that he would prefer Britain to remain inside the bloc. Biden said that the relationship between the US and Britain was "the most open relationship we have with any nation in the world" as he was welcomed to Downing Street by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. The leaders were to discuss foreign policy in Afghanistan, North Africa, Iran and the Middle East, where "we both have a lot at stake," according to Biden. Clegg said a US-EU trade deal, which Cameron is championing through Britain's G8 presidency this year, would also be on the agenda.
