Obama Gives First Interview To Arab Network
President Barack Obama spoke to the Saudi-owned, Dubai-based Al-Arabiya news channel for his first formal television interview since taking office. The president sat for the interview after dispatching special envoy George Mitchell to the Middle East. Mitchell will visit Egypt, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
For his very first formal television interview after taking office, President Obama made an unexpected choice, al-Arabiya. Mr. Obama directed his message to the networks Arab audience. A key topic was Israeli-Palestinian relations.
President BARACK OBAMA: The bottom line in all these talks and all these conversations is, is a child in the Palestinian territories going to be better off? Do they have a future for themselves? And is the child in Israel going to feel confident about his or her safety and security?
MONTAGNE: The president sat for that interview after dispatching special envoy George Mitchell to the Middle East.
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