Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

You might mock the President but we are admirers of President Obama.

In his 2009 Cairo speech, President Obama called for 'a new beginning' between the United States and the Muslim world. He acknowledged that no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust. Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League, said that Obama's speech 'offered a new vision of rapprochement'. For Iraq and Afghanistan, President Obama defined a clear strategy for transition to civilian rule. In Turkey, he said that he wanted to build a model partnership between a majority Christian and a majority Muslim country. He has visited Pakistan and Indonesia. America is working with the Organization of Islamic Conference to eradicate polio and has provided $150 million to assist Egypt's transition. The Obama administration has done more to reach out to the Muslim world than any previous US government. As Secretary Clinton said boldly and emphatically, 'This video has nothing to do with us.' (Time expired)

Senator Brandis interjecting—