Middle East/US

Obama on his way to Middle East

Article published on the 2009-06-02 Latest update 2009-06-02 15:12 TU

US President Barack Obama begins a tour of the Middle East on June 2
(Photo : Reuters)

United States President Barack Obama has said he would like to create a new dialogue in the Middle East that would help change the “profoundly negative” direction he says the region is taking. On the eve of his first visit to the Middle East since becoming president, Obama said the status quo in the region was “unsustainable”.

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process will be one of Obama's priorities and he had a warning for the US's closest ally in the Middle East.

"Part of being a good friend is being honest," Obama told US radio station National Public Radio. "I think there have been times where we are not as honest as we should be about the fact that the current direction, the current trajectory, in the region is profoundly negative, not only for Israeli interests but also US interests.”

"That's part of a new dialogue that I'd like to see encouraged in the region."

Obama will leave for the Middle East late on Tuesday and will visit Saudi Arabia before making a high-profile address in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Thursday. The US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, also plans to visit the region next week, it was confirmed today.

Obama’s visit comes a week after he hosted Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas for their first Oval Office talks since the US president took power in January.