Obama says US is committed to working in partnership with countries in the Middle East

October 9th, 2009 TEL AVIV - Israeli leaders congratulated US President Barack Obama Friday on winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, saying they hoped it would add force to his efforts to push for peace in the Middle East. President Shimon Peres sent a message to Obama, saying "there are few leaders who succeeded in changing the mood in the world in such a short time", it said, Israel Radio reported.

September 19th, 2009 Pope: Bishops to discuss Middle East next yearVATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI has announced a special meeting of bishops next year to discuss Middle East peace efforts and the role of the Catholic Church in the region. Addressing bishops and patriarchs from Eastern rite churches, Benedict said Saturday that the meeting will take place Oct.

August 20th, 2009 Obama, King Abdullah II speak on Mideast peaceWASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah II about their efforts to restart peace negotiations in the Middle East. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Thursday said the two spoke by phone about restarting regional talks to secure a stable Middle East.

July 28th, 2009 Obama: Diplomacy matters to solve problemsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says diplomacy is more important now than ever before. Obama on Monday told ambassadors to the United States that his administration is committed to working with countries to advance common goals.

July 23rd, 2009 US Middle East envoy Mitchell heading to SyriaWASHINGTON — The State Department says the Obama administration's special Middle East envoy is heading to Syria. State Department spokesman P.J.

June 23rd, 2009 Geithner plans trips to Europe and Middle EastWASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will travel to the Middle East and Europe next month for a series of meetings to discuss global economic issues. The Treasury Department said Tuesday that Geithner will meet with officials in Britain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and France to discuss the global economic downturn and financial crisis before a leaders' summit of the Group of 20 nations in September in Pittsburgh.

June 6th, 2009 PARIS - US President Barack Obama and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy Saturday warned Iran not to pursue the development of nuclear weapons. "Iran's possession of nuclear weapons would be profoundly dangerous...

June 4th, 2009 CAIRO - In a much-anticipated speech to the Muslim world from Cairo Thursday, US President Barack Obama urged Iran and other countries to abandon their nuclear weapons programmes. He acknowledged the US role in "overthrowing a democratically elected government" in Iran.

May 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama has congratulated India on successful conduct of its "historic" national elections and looks forward to continue working with the India Government to strengthen partnership between two countries. President Obama said, "He looks forward to continue working with the Indian government to enhance the "warm partnership" between the two countries.

May 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama congratulated India on its 'historic' national elections saying he looks forward to continue working with the Indian government to enhance the 'warm partnership' between the two countries. 'President Obama looks forward to continuing to work with the Indian government to enhance the warm partnership between our two countries,' White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement Saturday.

January 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Barack Obama gave his first formal interview since becoming president Monday with Al-Arabiya television, in an attempt to send a signal of the importance of US policy in the Middle East by calling for 'a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest'. The administration's new Middle East envoy George Mitchell was to arrive in the region Tuesday with planned stops in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

January 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has said that the US will seek to reach out to the Muslim world. During Monday night's interview with the al-Arabiya news channel, Obama said that while Israel was a 'strong ally of the United States', his administration was ready to 'initiate a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest' with the Muslim world.

January 24th, 2009 TEL AVIV - George Mitchell, the former US senator who has been named a special envoy to the Middle East, is scheduled to visit Israel and Palestinian-controlled territories in the coming days, an Israeli government spokesman said Sunday. No programme for Mitchell's visit has been set, said Jigal Palmor.

January 23rd, 2009 NEW YORK - US President Barack Obama made a telephone call to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday afternoon and discussed a range of issues of common concern and interest, according to a statement from the UN chief's office. The secretary-general 'underlined the importance of the US-UN partnership and stressed the need for the two to work closely together on major issues like the global economic crisis, climate change, food security and in the resolution of regional crises, particularly those in the Middle East and Africa,' the statement said.

January 20th, 2009 TEHRAN - Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said that new US President Barack Obama should try to understand the 'new Middle East which was emerging', Iran's IRNA news agency reported Wednesday. Mottaki Tuesday said that the traditional ways of looking into Middle East issues would no longer work.