Mid-East leaders welcome Obama - BBC

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Mid-East leaders welcome Obama

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

 

Leaders across the Middle East have congratulated Barack Obama and

given him a cautious welcome on his election as the next US

president.

 

Israel said he was committed to its security, while the Palestinians

urged him to work for a peace deal.

 

Iraq's foreign minister said he did not expect a quick US troop

disengagement.

 

And a senior Iranian leader and the Palestinian militant group Hamas

both spoke of failings and " mistakes " of outgoing President George W

Bush.

 

The newly-elected Democratic senator faces a raft of issues across

the region:

 

the status of the US troop presence in Iraq

concerns about a potentially nuclear-armed Iran

the fall-out from a recent US raid on Syria

a push by the incumbent administration to negotiate a deal between

Israel and the Palestinians

In Iraq, a senior political adviser to the Iraqi prime minister,

described Mr Obama's rise to become the first African-American US

president as " an unprecedented example of democracy " .

 

Mr Obama was opposed to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and has

advocated a swift withdrawal of US troops.

 

The American people have to change their policies in order to get

rid of the quagmire made by President Bush for them

 

Iranian official Gholamali Haddad Adel

But Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said he did not expect a

policy change " overnight " .

 

The BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad says there is concern Mr Obama will

pull out American troops before Iraqi forces are fully ready to deal

with the country's still very deep security problems.

 

In Iran, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,

said Illinois senator's win was a sign of the failure of his

predecessor:

 

" The American people have to change their policies in order to get

rid of the quagmire made by President Bush for them, " said Gholamali

Haddad Adel.

 

Mr Obama has said he supports unconditional negotiations with Iran, a

long-time US foe.

 

Another aide to Ayatollah Khamenei said there was " capacity for the

improvement " of US-Iranian ties, " if Obama pursues his campaign

promises, including not confronting other countries as Bush did in

Iraq and Afghanistan " , according to comments reported by Reuters news

agency.

 

'A great leader'

 

The victory was also welcomed in Israel, although Mr Obama's openness

to talks with Iran and generally less hawkish stance have caused

concern among some.

 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Israelis had been impressed by Mr

Obama's " commitment to the peace and security of Israel " and that the

country hoped to " continue to strengthen the lasting special

relationship between our two countries " .

 

She also praised Mr Obama's Republican rival John McCain, for

his " long-standing friendship " .

 

Israeli President Shimon Peres described Mr Obama as " young, fresh,

promising, representing a change and introducing change " .

 

" Nobody should look at whose side the President is on - he just has

to be on the side of peace, " he said.

 

He also sent Mr Obama a letter which reads: " Dear Mr President, The

world needs a great leader. It is in your making. It is in our

prayers. God bless you. "

 

Saeb Erekat, aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

said the Palestinians hoped Mr Obama would " stay the course " on the

current US engagement in peace talks, Reuters reported.

 

" We hope the two-state vision would be transferred from a vision to a

realistic track immediately, " he said.

 

A spokesman for Hamas, the Palestinian militant group which seized

control of Gaza last year and which is considered a terrorist

organisation by the US, told AFP news agency that Mr Obama " must

learn from the mistakes of the previous administrations, including

that of Bush which has destroyed Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and

Palestine. "

 

" He must improve US ties with the rest of the world rather than wave

the big American stick, " said spokesman Fawzi Barhum.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7710271.stm