Obama hopes "new beginning" with Muslims

"I have come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interests and mutual respect," Obama said in his speech, attended by more than a thousand audiences in the conference hall of Cairo University, and widely broadcasted live. "This cycle of suspicion and discord must end," Obama said, referring to the U.S.-Islam mistrust during the past eight years caused by his predecessor George W. Bush administration's anti-terrorism campaign that raised hostility in the Muslim world. Obama said in addition to historical factors, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization left many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the Islam traditions, while a small minority of extremist Muslims have left some Americans to view Islam as hostile. Though determined to improve U.S. ties with Islam, Obama said "change cannot happen overnight" and that "no single speech can eradicate years of mistrust." He said in order to move forward a new U.S.-Islam relationship, the two sides must open, listen to each other, to learn from each other, respect each other and seek a common ground; Kazinform refers to Xinhua. See www.chinaview.cn for full version