Brown to Meet With Obama on Economic Crisis

Soros: world's financial system has 'effectively disintegrated'

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 22, 2009 1:56 PM CST

(Newser) – President Obama will host British PM Gordon Brown at the White House next week for their first meeting since the election, the Independent reports. The leaders enjoy “a special partnership,” the White House says, and they’ll discuss the global recession ahead of April’s G20 meeting in London. The news comes as George Soros condemned the financial system as “effectively disintegrated.”

Speaking at Columbia University, Soros compared the current crisis to the demise of the Soviet Union, adding: “There’s no sign that we are anywhere near a bottom.”

[Images (6)]

[Quotes (1)]

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.,left, walks with British PM Gordon Brown through Horse guards Parade, behind 10 Downing St., London, Saturday, July 26, 2008 in. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images, POOL)

Then presidential contender Barack Obama talks with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as they walk behind the prime minister's official London residence, Saturday, July 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Jim Young/Pool)

Sen. Barack Obama, D-lll., right, is seen with British PM Gordon Brown, in the garden of 10 Downing St., London, England, Saturday, July 26, 2008. (AP Photo/ Peter Macdiarmid, Pool)

Gordon Brown will fly to Washington next week for his first meeting with Barack Obama since he became President (AP Photo/ Peter Macdiarmid, Pool)

Sen. Barack Obama, D-lll., right, talks with British PM Gordon Brown in the garden of 10 Downing St., London, Saturday, July 26, 2008 in London, England. (AP Photo/ Peter Macdiarmid, Pool)

George Soros, whose words and actions have moved entire markets in the past, said, "We witnessed the collapse of the financial system. It was placed on life support, and it's still on life support." (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

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We witnessed the collapse of the financial system. It was placed on life support, and it’s still on life support. There’s no sign that we are anywhere near a bottom. - George Soros

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Brown to Meet With Obama on Economic Crisis