Atheist
24.05.2009, 19:51
West must show respect to gain trust of Muslims, admits David Miliband
The west has to "show greater respect" for Muslims if it wants to rebuild relations with the Islamic world, the foreign secretary, David Miliband, said tonight.
In a speech delivered in Oxford, Miliband listed the Iraq war alongside the medieval Crusades and colonial-era division and subjugation of the Middle East as drivers of "bitterness, distrust and resentment" in the region.
He also said relations had been damaged by the use of "lazy stereotypes" by western officials, and conceded that his own use of the labels "moderate" and "extremist" showed a lack of understanding that risked "undermining the force of our own argument", according to an early text of the remarks released by the Foreign Office.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/21/david-milliband-iraq-middle-east
The west has to "show greater respect" for Muslims if it wants to rebuild relations with the Islamic world, the foreign secretary, David Miliband, said tonight.
In a speech delivered in Oxford, Miliband listed the Iraq war alongside the medieval Crusades and colonial-era division and subjugation of the Middle East as drivers of "bitterness, distrust and resentment" in the region.
He also said relations had been damaged by the use of "lazy stereotypes" by western officials, and conceded that his own use of the labels "moderate" and "extremist" showed a lack of understanding that risked "undermining the force of our own argument", according to an early text of the remarks released by the Foreign Office.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/may/21/david-milliband-iraq-middle-east