The European Union (EU)'s Czech presidency issued a statement Tuesday to warmly welcome the inauguration of Barack Obama as the new president of the United States, saying that his inauguration "creates new encouraging perspectives and opportunities" for further promoting the transatlantic relations.

"This event has generated great interest and optimism not only in the United States, but also in Europe, as it creates new encouraging perspectives and opportunities for further promoting the Euro-Atlantic community of interests and values," said the statement.

The statement said the EU is looking forward to cooperating closely with the new U.S. administration to steadily enhance the transatlantic partnership.

"As recent history has clearly shown us, acting together represents one of the best ways to respond to the needs and hopes of peoples on both sides of the Atlantic," said the statement. "We wish the new president the best of luck and success in tackling the many remarkable challenges that now lie ahead of him."

Earlier Tuesday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso issued a similar statement urging Obama to strengthen EU-U.S. bilateral ties.

"As President Obama begins his historic mandate, I call on Europe and the United States of America to deepen further their transatlantic ties and join efforts to engage others in addressing the great challenges of our time," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2009)