Washington - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinjed's remarks
against Israel at a UN racism conference were 'appalling and
objectionable,' and damaging to the prospects of better relations
with the United States, President Barack Obama said Tuesday.
During a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah, Obama responded to
Ahmadinejad's comments a day after the Iranian president called
Israel a 'racist regime' created 'under the pretext of Jewish
suffering.'
'Sadly, the rhetoric is not new,' Obama said. 'This is the kind of
rhetoric that we've come to expect from President Ahmadinejad.'
The Obama administration has explored a break with past US policy
by engaging in direct dialogue with Tehran. Obama said he will
continue to pursue the possibility of better relations and discuss
issues of disagreement, particularly Iran's nuclear aspirations.
'But there's no doubt that the kind of rhetoric that you saw from
Ahmadinejad is not helpful,' Obama said. 'In fact, it is harmful, not
just with respect to the possibility of US-Iranian relations, but I
think it actually undermines Iranians' position in the world as a
whole.'
The United States and a handful of other Western countries
boycotted the UN conference in Geneva, saying the document for
countering worldwide racism unfairly singled out Israel and
threatened freedom of speech. The document was adopted Tuesday.
The Geneva gathering was a follow-on to the 2001 conference in
Durban, South Africa, which was also boycotted by Washington over
concerns of an anti-Israeli slant.
Ahmadinejad was the only head of state to attend Monday's meeting.
His comments against Israel prompted Western diplomats to walk out
during his address.
USA
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