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Obama to host Southeast Asian leaders summit in SoCal
FILE: A motorcade for King Abdullah II of Jordan is seen in front of The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands for a meeting with President Barack Obama Feb. 14, 2014 in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
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Obama to host Southeast Asian leaders summit in SoCal
President Obama will host a summit of Southeast Asian leaders at the famous Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, a National Security Council spokesman confirmed to KPCC on Thursday.
"The President is pleased the leaders have accepted his invitation to gather at Sunnylands, in early 2016," said National Security Council spokesman Myles Caggins in a written statement.
Obama extended the invitation last month to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders during his visit to Malaysia.
Ken Chavez, a spokesman for Sunnylands, declined to comment on the summit reports.
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Among the topics the president is expected to address at the retreat is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade agreement aimed at easing the flow of American exports overseas. The 12-nation deal was completed in October, but still needs to clear the GOP-led Congress where opposition is expected.
Sunnylands, referred to as the "Camp David of the West," is known for its relaxed setting. In June 2013, Obama met there with President Xi Jinping of China.
Caggins would not confirm the Feb. 15 and 16 dates reported by one Japanese news outlet, but said he didn't necessarily dispute the report.
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