April 18, 2009

I thank the Secretary-General for his courtesy in receiving us. We welcome his thoughts and suggestions. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with him for many years on issues related to this region. I reassured him that the policy of the United States under the administration of President Obama is for a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. We believe that to be in the interest of the people in the region, Palestinians, Israelis, Syrians, Lebanese, all Arabs. We believe it to be very much in the interest of the United States and of people from all around the world. We will devote all of our effort and our energy to what the president has stated is a top priority of his administration. As I have said on many occasions and I repeat here now that comprehensive peace should and must include the creation of an independent Palestinian state, a viable state in which the people of Palestine are able to exercise their right of self-determination. I thank the Secretary-General again for his courtesy. I look forward to continuing my trip. I leave now for Abu Dhabi and then I will visit all of the other states in the Gulf region. I will return often. I recognize the complexities and the difficulties and I am aware of the many long years of effort that have already been invested in trying to achieve this objective, but I want to say, in conclusion, that the President, the Secretary of State and I, and the entire U.S. administration, are totally committed to the effort to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Thank you all very much.