euro|topics - Obama seeks a fresh start with the Muslim World

Main focus of Friday, June 5, 2009

Obama seeks a fresh start with the Muslim World

In his keynote address in Cairo on Thursday, US President Barack Obama called on the Muslims of the world to start their relations anew on the basis of "mutual respect". Obama also reiterated his calls for a two-state solution in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

El Mundo - Spain

The Spanish daily El Mundo calls US President Barack Obama's keynote address in Cairo a "historic, moving and above all intelligent message of brotherhood": "Obama even stressed that the Islamic heritage is part of the American cultural identity when he pointed out that Thomas Jefferson defended the nascent US constitution with quotes from the Koran. And he did not hesitate to exercise self-criticism for mistakes of the past, and to stress that aberrations such as torture and imprisonment without recourse to legal action in Guantánamo Bay prison are no longer acceptable. Almost at the same time as he delivered these words, the EU was conferring on the procedure for accepting prisoners from the US's Cuban detention camp in the coming months." (05/06/2009)

Rue89 - France

The Internet portal Rue89 analyses Obama's address to the Islamic World: "Al Qaeda's number two man, Aiman Al-Zawahiri, called on the Egyptians before the speech not to be seduced by the 'refined rhetoric' of the 'criminal Barack Obama'. He had every reason to fear Obama's rhetoric. The American president delivered a speech in Cairo ... that puts a definitive end to the Bush era and stretches out a hand to the Muslim World with respect and modesty. ... The most eagerly awaited part of his address dealt with Israel and Palestine, and it was there that he promised the most. ... With a few words of Arabic, some well-chosen quotes from the Koran and a consistent respect for a religion that many Americans view as an 'enemy', Obama also managed to send a strong signal for a change of heart. At the same time he remained firm regarding the US's relations with Israel and on the fight against all those who use violence or who attack democracy - even if he no longer tries to 'impose' it, but merely to 'support' it." (04/06/2009)

Expressen - Sweden

Commenting on the keynote speech in Cairo, the daily Expressen writes: "This could be Barack Obama's most important speech to date. … During the past weeks relations between the Obama administration and Israel's right-wing government have deteriorated. Both Obama and [US Secretary of State] Hillary Clinton have made it clear that Israel must stop the expansion of its settlements. … This will now be Obama's litmus test. Is he just a man of nice words or also a man of deeds? So far Obama has been ill rewarded for his conciliatory foreign policy. North Korea has stepped up its fight against the world around it. Iran is showing no signs of pulling back on its nuclear weapon plans. The violence in Iraq and Afghanistan continues. Not even the US's friends are behaving obligingly. … The great challenge for Obama consists in winning over as many parts of the world as possible in order to isolate and weaken irreconcilable forces - not least among the Muslims." (05/06/2009)

De Standaard - Belgium

With his speech in Cairo US President Barack Obama has once again clearly distanced himself from his predecessor, the daily newspaper De Standaard writes: "George Bush acted on the assumption that the US was powerful and morally superior, had a duty to spread its values and was in a position to do so, if necessary using weapons. Obama yesterday offered the Muslims new dialogue and a new partnership on the basis of mutual understanding and respect. And this is no sign of weakness. On the contrary, Obama's speech was a rhetorical masterpiece, delivered by a president who is both modest and self-assured and who understands the power of words. What we heard yesterday was one of the few historic speeches that announced a dramatic change in course. … There is a danger that the president inspired false hope with his speech, that he can't make the pretty words come true. This would be a bad thing for Europe, which has even closer ties to the Arab world than the US. … The task is unbelievably difficult and it is by no means certain that Obama will master it, but at least he's trying. And he deserves Europe's support." (05/06/2009)

Delo - Slovenia

The daily Delo sees Barack Obama's speech in Cairo as mostly just pretty words: "The coarse and oafish diplomacy of Obama's predecessor [George W. Bush] did the US more harm than good because it led to the recruitment of an army of bitter enemies of the US. Consequently with his way of talking the new president can do a lot to further global US interests, which have not changed in the past decades no matter who was in the White House. Critics will say that the methods haven't changed either. But the fact is that prettier packaging does indeed tend to boost the popularity of a product. In the coming months and years we will look for the effects of US President Barack Obama's speech in Cairo on the Islam world. However Obama did not convince [the radical Islamist] Hamas, and Israel too is still a long way from trusting Obama. On this front the US president was a far cry from completing the task that [the flatterer] Damocles performed." (05/06/2009)

» To the complete press review of Friday, June 5, 2009

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