‘US has more to do to end Muslim mistrust’
The president, at a news conference in the world's largest Muslim country, said his efforts to improve the relationship between Muslims and the West have been "earnest" and "sustained." Still, he said the progress is "incomplete" and there is more work to do.
Though issues of terrorism and extremism often dominate the tensions between the Muslim world and the West, Obama said the relationship must expand beyond security issues.
"What we're trying to do is make sure that we are building bridges and expanding our interactions with Muslim countries," Obama said during a joint news conference with Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Obama arrived on Tuesday on a twice-postponed trip to Indonesia. Before leaving on Wednesday, he plans a major speech reaching out to the Muslim world that would tout Indonesia as an example of an emerging democracy and tolerant society.
Obama described a range of efforts the United States is making to reach out to Muslims, including education and business initiatives, such as a meeting Obama hosted this year that brought Muslim entrepreneurs from around the world to Washington.
"By broadening the relationship, that strengthens it, it builds trust, creates more people-to-people contact," Obama said.
"That will be good for our security but it will also be good for the larger cause of understanding between the United States and the Muslim world. I think it's an incomplete project we've got a lot more work to do. It's not going to eliminate or replace some tough dialogue around concrete policy issues."
Obama criticized Israel construction plans in East Jerusalem, saying they're unhelpful to the pursuit of peace; Kazinform cites The Arab News.
See www.arabnews.com for full version