Obama won't present Mideast peace plan in Cairo

White House says president's speech in Egypt next week to focus on US relationship with Muslim world.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
obama exactly 248.88 ap (photo credit: AP [file])
obama exactly 248.88 ap
(photo credit: AP [file])
The White House denied on Friday that details of a new Middle East peace plan will be publicly revealed by President Barack Obama during his upcoming trip to Cairo next month. Speaking to reporters during a briefing at the White House, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that although remarks about the peace process will be impossible to avoid, the main thrust of the president's speech will be America's relationship with the Muslim world. "The goal is to be - I guess, partly to clear some of this up, this is a - this will be a broader speech about our relationship with Muslims around the world," he said. "I know there has been some conjecture that included in this speech will be some detailed comprehensive Mideast peace plan, and that is not the intention nor was it ever the intention of this speech." "As I said a few days ago, I mean, obviously it would be difficult to give a speech and not touch on this subject," Gibbs continued. "But the notion that it will be the sole focus of the speech is not the case." When asked by a reporter if, at the very least, mention of the more contentious issues will be made publicly, the press secretary left no doubt on the matter. "As you know […] those are final status issues that the parties themselves have agreed to work out in whatever negotiation would be had. That's not something for the president to intone," Gibbs said.