By Grace Panetta

New York: Former President Barack Obama says his ideal hypothetical group chat of world leaders would include Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama, German, and former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“The Dalai Lama, I love that guy, Pope Francis, a genuinely good man,” Obama said in an interview with the Skimm. Obama also said that he would maybe include Queen Elizabeth II “because she has a drier sense of humor than people think.”

Obama met with the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, multiple times during and after his presidency, including welcoming him to the White House in 2015 and meeting with him in 2016 over the Chinese government’s objections. The Dalai Lama lives in exile in India.

The former president hosted Pope Francis at the White House in 2015, a visit to Washington where the Pope also made a rare address to a joint session of the United States Congress.

“I was just commenting that I noticed that all of you are much better-behaved than usual,” Obama joked to the White House press corps in the Oval Office while sitting aside the Pope.

Obama had a close diplomatic relationship with Merkel, who shared his cerebral approach to issues and largely level-headed disposition, in contrast to the far rockier and tenser relationship Merkel brokered with former President Donald Trump.

During Obama’s presidency, the US and Germany worked together on important global issues – including responding to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, tackling ISIS and the refugee crisis, and recovering from the global financial meltdown.

“You have been a trusted partner throughout my entire presidency – longer than any world leader – and I value your judgment,” Obama told Merkel in April 2016 towards the end of his presidency. “I thank you for your commitment to our alliance and to the values and human rights for which we stand. And I’m grateful for our personal friendship.” Obama also carried on the US’ “special relationship” with the Royal Family.

In 2009, Obama gifted the Queen an iPod with historical video footage of her previous visits to the US going back to the 1950s, as well as his 2009 inaugural address and 2008 speech at the Democratic National Convention.

And in her 2018 memoir “Becoming,” former First Lady Michelle Obama described accidentally violating royal protocol by putting her arm around the queen as a show of affection and support. She said, however, that Her Majesty didn’t seem offended and reciprocated the gesture back.

Source: businessinsider.in