Obama hopeful on Mid-East peace
02 June 2009
US President Barack Obama has told the BBC he believes his country can help to get serious Middle East peace negotiations back on track.
Mr Obama's first interview with a UK broadcaster comes on the eve of a trip to the Middle East and Europe.
On Iran, he said he hoped to see progress by the end of the year, through "tough, direct diplomacy".
But he said, rather than imposing its values on other countries, the US should act as a role model.
Speaking to BBC North America Editor Justin Webb, Mr Obama said he believed the US was "going to be able to get serious negotiations back on track" between Israel and the Palestinians.
Diplomacy is always a matter of a long hard slog. It's never a matter of quick results
Barack Obama
"Not only is it in the interest of the Palestinian people to have a state, it's in the interest of the Israeli people to stabilise the situation there," he said.
"And it's in the interest of the United States that we've got two states living side by side in peace and security."
Asked about Israel's rejection of his call for a halt to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the president urged patience, saying it was early in the conversation.
"Diplomacy is always a matter of a long hard slog. It's never a matter of quick results," he said.
However, Mr Obama said he had not needed convincing by Israel of the need to address Iran's programme of nuclear development.
Mr Obama's first interview with a UK broadcaster comes on the eve of a trip to the Middle East and Europe.
On Iran, he said he hoped to see progress by the end of the year, through "tough, direct diplomacy".
But he said, rather than imposing its values on other countries, the US should act as a role model.
Speaking to BBC North America Editor Justin Webb, Mr Obama said he believed the US was "going to be able to get serious negotiations back on track" between Israel and the Palestinians.
Diplomacy is always a matter of a long hard slog. It's never a matter of quick results
Barack Obama
"Not only is it in the interest of the Palestinian people to have a state, it's in the interest of the Israeli people to stabilise the situation there," he said.
"And it's in the interest of the United States that we've got two states living side by side in peace and security."
Asked about Israel's rejection of his call for a halt to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the president urged patience, saying it was early in the conversation.
"Diplomacy is always a matter of a long hard slog. It's never a matter of quick results," he said.
However, Mr Obama said he had not needed convincing by Israel of the need to address Iran's programme of nuclear development.
source: bbc.co.uk
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