Obama invites Netherlands to Pittsburgh G20 summit

WASHINGTON, July 14 - U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday invited the Netherlands to attend the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh in September, saying Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende had expertise relevant for the leaders' summit.

"We think that the Netherlands not only is one of the world's largest economies and most active internationally, but (the) prime minister has very specific expertise and experience in working with a whole range of world leaders," Obama told reporters after meeting Balkenende at the White House.

A White House official said Spain and the Netherlands, while not members of the G20 grouping, had attended recent summits as observers and Obama was continuing that tradition.

Obama said that during their talks on Tuesday the two leaders had discussed the "critical role" the Dutch military had played in Afghanistan. Climate change and European help for Obama's goal of closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were also discussed.