Albright holds G20 summit contacts for Obama

Former secretary of state Madeleine Albright and an ex-Republican lawmaker have been pursuing contacts with top G20 players on president-elect Barack Obama’s behalf, his office said Friday.

Albright and former Iowa congressman Jim Leach will report back to Obama after their round of contacts with foreign leaders, finance ministers and top bureaucrats, Obama’s transition office said in a statement.

“Congressman Leach and Secretary Albright are holding these unofficial meetings to seek input from visiting delegations on behalf of the President-elect and Vice President-elect (Joseph Biden),” it said.

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Obama himself is staying away from the Group of 20 summit on the global financial crisis, but foreign delegations have been keen to open channels to the Democrat succeeding President George W. Bush on January 20.

Albright and Leach, an early Republican backer of Obama’s White House bid, met Thursday with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and senior government advisers from India and Russia, the statement said.

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