Secretary-general strongly encouraged by united states president’s cairo speech;

welcomes message of peace, understanding, reconciliation

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is strongly encouraged by the speech delivered today in Cairo by President Barack Obama of the United States of America.  He stronglywelcomes its message of peace, understanding and reconciliation.

The Secretary-General believes that President Obama’s speech is a crucial step in bridging divides and promoting intercultural understanding, which is a major objective of the United Nations.  His message reaffirms our shared commitment “to practise tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours”, as enshrined in the Preamble of the United Nations Charter.

The Secretary-General hopes that President Obama’s message will herald the opening of a new chapter in relations between the United States and the Islamic world.  He hopes that this will have a positive impact on the peace process in the Middle East and the resolution of a number of conflicts in the Middle East and beyond.

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For information media • not an official record