American President Barack Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on his first stop of his regional Middle East mission, where he would seek Arab backing for his bid to revive peace moves while the U.S. adopted a firmer tone with its ally Israel.
On a trip highlighted by his long-awaited address to the Muslim world in Cairo on Thursday, Obama will also attempt to prod moribund regional peace diplomacy back to life.
He left the White House late Tuesday enroute to Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah, who has been trying to re-launch a 2002 Arab-backed peace initiative.
Obama will head Thursday to Egypt, where he will meet with President Hosni Mubarak, who canceled a recent visit to Washington because of the death of his grandson.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was to arrive in Cairo Wednesday.
Prime Arab players in regional diplomacy
” There will be a great effort on our part to distribute this through different means, (such as) social networking sites, in order to get this in front of as many eyes throughout the world as we can ”
Robert Gibbs, White House
The trip will reflect Egypt’s place alongside Saudi Arabia as a prime Arab player in regional diplomacy, analysts said.
Obama has repeatedly backed a two-state solution to the conflict, despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reluctance to embrace such a position.
The U.S. President, who met Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas last week, is expected to lobby Saudi Arabia and Egypt for gestures which would widen Netanyahu’s room for political maneuver.
Obama said he will touch on the Middle East peace process in his Cairo University speech — a more general attempt to build bridges between Washington and Islam — but will not unveil a detailed plan.
The White House vowed to unleash all its technological and communications clout to ensure that as many people as possible see and hear the historic address.
“There will be a great effort on our part to distribute this through different means, (such as) social networking sites, in order to get this in front of as many eyes throughout the world as we can,” spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
April 2002 Saudi initiative
The international community considers all Jewish settlements on occupied land illegal
Obama is seen as uniquely positioned among U.S. leaders to make inroads in the Islamic world.
The son of an African Muslim father, he spent part of his childhood in majority-Muslim Indonesia. The president’s middle name, Hussein, which sometimes was seen as a liability on the campaign trail, doubtless will be viewed more charitably in many venues during his Middle East travels.
The U.S. leader meanwhile said he is confident of reviving meaningful Israeli-Palestinian talks, but the White House has been coy on his strategy, following a flurry of meetings with regional leaders in recent weeks.
“I think the administration is interested in the April 2002 Saudi plan,” said Steven Cook, of the Council on Foreign Relations.
The initiative calls for full normalization of relations between Arab states and Israel, a full withdrawal by Israel from Arab land, the creation of a Palestinian state and an “equitable” solution for Palestinian refugees.
” I think the administration is interested in the April 2002 Saudi plan ”
Steven Cook, Council on Foreign Relations
The Hamas Islamist group, which rules the Gaza Strip, has been told by the Middle East Quartet — the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and United States — that it must recognize Israel, renounce violence, and abide by prior agreements made by the Palestinians, in return for a place at the table.
Some analysts see the 2002 Saudi-inspired plan as a way to broaden Middle East diplomacy and bypass stalemated Israeli-Palestinian talks.
King Abdullah II of Jordan has been pushing a “57-state” solution, which would grant Israel sweeping diplomatic recognition in return for making peace with the Palestinians.
So far though, it seems unlikely Arab states will grant early concessions to Israel without some moderation of Netanyahu’s position on settlements, having refused to halt expansion as required in the Quartet’s “road map” and urged by Obama’s administration.
–Agencies