The president of the United States of America Barrack Obama said that America values its long history of cooperation with Fiji, including the international peacekeeping issues and matters of mutual concern to the South Pacific nations.

Obama made the comments while accepting Fiji's new Ambassador to USA Winston Thompson's credentials at the White House.

He commented that he was pleased that the Fiji government has sent a representative for the position who is aware of the value of countries working together and skilled at pursuing that worthy goal.

Obama hopes that Fiji will soon return to democracy and resume its full and proper role on the international arena.

Winston Thompson told Obama that the Fiji government remains resolute in its commitment to restoring parliamentary democracy in the country.

He also said that Fiji and the USA are closely linked by historical and long-standing bonds of friendship, alliance and cooperation even before 1970 and these bonds have been strengthened during global crisis and have stood the test of time.

Thompson thanked President Obama for US disaster relief assistance following Fiji's worst flooding in January this year.

Thompson was accompanied by his wife and four children.