Reaction to President Obama’s U.N. General Assembly Speech

New York City – Human Rights First today praised President Obama for focusing his speech before the United Nations General Assembly on the “extraordinary transformations” taking place in Middle East and North Africa. The group also applauded President Obama’s pledge that the United States “will always stand up for the universal rights endorsed by this assembly.” Following the speech, Human Rights First’s Neil Hicks issued the following statement: “The remarkable changes underway in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and elsewhere have created a unique opportunity for the United States to partner with the international community to further the ideals the United Nations was founded to advance and protect. “President Obama emphasized that he and the United States government remain committed to the goal of the creation of a Palestinian state living peacefully side by side with Israel.  He was right to stress that differences over the ways of achieving that goal should not distract the international community from seizing the opportunities presented by what he called a ‘remarkable year,’ nor should they divert the international community from striving to promote respect for universal human rights principles everywhere.”