- News>
- World
Bush plans interview series with Arab media
Washington, May 05: President George W. Bush will give interviews to Arab media starting today as part of a White House effort to mitigate Arab discontent over US policy in the West Asia, administration officials said.
Washington, May 05: President George W. Bush will give interviews to Arab media starting today as part of a White House effort to mitigate Arab discontent over US policy in the West Asia, administration officials said.
Bush's first interview will be with the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram at the White House, and officials said he would speak to other outlets including Arab television on later dates.
''The President will speak directly to the Arab world,'' Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said in her own interview with pan-Arabic television channel al-Arabiya today.
''It's just extremely important that we continue to talk to the people of the region directly,'' she said.
''We want everyone to understand that the United States believes in peace,'' Rice continued. ''And the United States has tried in the Arab world and around the world to stand for a set of values. We believe that when people hear our story, that they will understand, at least, then for themselves.''
The move comes as Washington faces growing anger among Arabs over the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners, US military action against Iraqi insurgents and bush's endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to leave Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
A senior administration official who asked not to be identified said Bush's interview with al-Ahram was arranged in late April and probably would last 15-30 minutes.
Bureau Report
''The President will speak directly to the Arab world,'' Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said in her own interview with pan-Arabic television channel al-Arabiya today.
''It's just extremely important that we continue to talk to the people of the region directly,'' she said.
''We want everyone to understand that the United States believes in peace,'' Rice continued. ''And the United States has tried in the Arab world and around the world to stand for a set of values. We believe that when people hear our story, that they will understand, at least, then for themselves.''
The move comes as Washington faces growing anger among Arabs over the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners, US military action against Iraqi insurgents and bush's endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to leave Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
A senior administration official who asked not to be identified said Bush's interview with al-Ahram was arranged in late April and probably would last 15-30 minutes.
Bureau Report