LOC22:54
19:54 GMT
WASHINGTON, March 11 (KUNA) -- President Barack Obama met with Arab
American community leaders on Monday in advance of his trip to the Middle East.
"We are pleased to have shared with President Obama our recommendations for
the vital message that he should convey to the Palestinian people," said a
statement released by the groups that met with the President. "Today's meeting
was an important opportunity for Arab Americans to share our views and
continue to serve as a bridge between the US and the Arab world."
The meeting underscored the President's recognition of the importance of
the Arab American community's contributions to discussions of policy in the
region, the statement said.
"The United States, through sustained, balanced, constructive engagement,
can facilitate a peaceful, lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict -- a resolution that is essential to long-term security in the Middle
East," it said.
"We thank President Obama for engaging Arab American leaders in this
critical dialogue, and we look forward to using this meeting as a springboard
for robust ongoing conversations on US policy in the Middle East," it said.
The statement was released by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee, the American Federation of Ramallah Palestine, the American Task
Force for Palestine and the Arab American Institute. (end)
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