our diplomats work side by side to help resolve conflicts and promote peace from syria to iran. our development experts help impoverished villages, boost their agriculture and lift themselves out of poverty. and this level of partnership across so many areas would have been unimaginable, even a decade ago. but it's a testament to how our two nations have worked to transform our alliance, and i want to salute president hollande for carrying this work forward. francois, you haven't just spoken eloquently about france's determination to meet its responsibilities as a global leader, you have also acted. from mali to syria and iran, you have shown purge and resolve and i want to thank you for your leadership and being a strong partner to the united states. i'm grateful for the progress we have made today in four key areas. first we're standing shoulder to