This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/8078217.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Obama gives pledge on US 'values' Obama hopeful on Mid-East peace
(about 7 hours later)
US President Barack Obama has told the BBC that the US cannot impose its values on other countries. US President Barack Obama has told the BBC he believes his country can help to get serious Middle East peace negotiations back on track.
But, in his first interview with a UK broadcaster, he said the rule of law, democracy and freedoms of speech and religion were "universal values". His comments, in his first interview with a UK broadcaster, come on the eve of a trip to the Middle East and Europe
"These are values that are important, even when it's hard," he said. On Iran, he said he hoped to see progress by the end of the year, through "tough, direct diplomacy".
Speaking ahead of a trip to the Middle East and Europe, Mr Obama said closing the Guantanamo Bay prison was a way that America could set a good example. But he said rather than imposing its values on other countries the US should act as a role model.
Mr Obama told BBC North America Editor Justin Webb that he wanted to deliver the message "that democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion ... are not simply principles of the West to be hoisted on these countries". Speaking to BBC North America Editor Justin Webb, Mr Obama said he believed the US was "going to be able to get serious negotiations back on track" between Israel and the Palestinians.
Diplomacy is always a matter of a long hard slog. It's never a matter of quick results Barack Obama
"Not only is it in the interest of the Palestinian people to have a state, it's in the interest of the Israeli people to stabilise the situation there," he said.
"And it's in the interest of the United States that we've got two states living side by side in peace and security."
Asked about Israel's rejection of his call for a halt to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the president urged patience, saying it was early in the conversation.
"Diplomacy is always a matter of a long hard slog. It's never a matter of quick results," he said.
However, Mr Obama said he had not needed convincing by Israel of the need to address Iran's programme of nuclear development.
This is not an apology for the actions of the Bush White House - that the president told me flatly Justin Webb's AmericaThis is not an apology for the actions of the Bush White House - that the president told me flatly Justin Webb's America
He said there were "obviously" human rights issues to address in some Middle Eastern countries, but there were some "universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity". "What I have said is that it is in the world's interests for Iran to set aside ambitions for a nuclear weapon," he said, and the best way for that to be accomplished was "through tough direct diplomacy".
"The danger, I think, is when the United States, or any country, thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture," he said. "Although I don't want to put artificial time tables on that process, we do want to make sure that, by the end of this year, we've actually seen a serious process move forward".
Nuanced message
Mr Obama is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in the first stage of his tour of the Middle East and Europe.Mr Obama is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in the first stage of his tour of the Middle East and Europe.
He will travel to Egypt on 4 June, where he is set to give a key speech on US ties with the region, before carrying on to Europe to attend D-Day commemoration events.He will travel to Egypt on 4 June, where he is set to give a key speech on US ties with the region, before carrying on to Europe to attend D-Day commemoration events.
Nuanced message The president has faced criticism over his decision to give a speech in Cairo, with human rights groups pointing to Egypt's patchy reputation for political freedom.
Asked whether he would be encouraging the countries he will visit to adopt such values, Mr Obama said "absolutely we'll be encouraging". But he said while there were "obviously" human rights issues to address in some Middle Eastern countries, the job of the US was not to lecture but to encourage what he said were "universal principles" that those countries could "embrace and affirm as part of their national identity".
But he said that the most important thing for the US was to "serve as a role model". "The danger, I think, is when the United States, or any country, thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture," he said.
"That's why, for example, closing Guantanamo from my perspective is as difficult as it is important." Instead, the president said that the most important thing for the US was to "serve as a role model".
"Part of what we want to affirm to the world is that these are values that are important even when it's hard, maybe especially when it's hard and not just when it's easy.""Part of what we want to affirm to the world is that these are values that are important even when it's hard, maybe especially when it's hard and not just when it's easy."
"That's why, for example, closing Guantanamo from my perspective is as difficult as it is important."
Mr Obama is facing domestic resistance to his plans to close the Guantanamo detention camp, with critics citing concerns over what would happen to inmates still considered to pose a risk to the US.Mr Obama is facing domestic resistance to his plans to close the Guantanamo detention camp, with critics citing concerns over what would happen to inmates still considered to pose a risk to the US.
Justin Webb says the president chose to speak to the BBC now because his team want to reach the parts of the world the BBC reaches - with a message that is nuanced and thoughtful. Justin Webb says the president chose to speak to the BBC now because his team want to reach the parts of the world the BBC reaches, with a message that is nuanced and thoughtful.
But Mr Obama is not apologising for the actions of the Bush White House, our correspondent adds.But Mr Obama is not apologising for the actions of the Bush White House, our correspondent adds.
The full interview will be broadcast on the BBC from 0500 BST. Instead, the president said he wanted to "open a dialogue" between the West and the Muslim world to overcome what he said were "misapprehensions" on both sides.
He stressed that there were no "silver bullets" to overcome problems but instead some "very real policy issues that have to be worked through".
"Ultimately, it's going to be action and not words that determine the progress from here on out."