Obama against US dictating 'values' to other nations

On the eve of his high-profile visit to the Middle East, President Barack Obama has said the US should act as a role model rather than impose its "values" on other nations, even as he contended that "principles" like democracy, rule of law and human rights were "universal."

Obama, who is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia tomorrow, said there were "obviously" human rights issues to address in some Middle Eastern countries.

However, he said the job of the US was not to lecture but to encourage what he said were "universal principles" that those countries could "embrace and affirm as part of their national identity".

"The danger, I think, is when the United States, or any country, thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture," Obama said in an interview to BBC.

"Democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion -- those are not simply principles of the West to be hoisted on these countries, but rather what I believe to be universal principles that they can embrace and affirm as part of their national identity," he said.

Obama, whose father was a Muslim but he himself is a practising Christian, is scheduled on Thursday to make a high-profile speech on US ties with the region at a university in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

Obama has faced criticism over his decision to give a speech in Cairo, with human rights groups pointing to Egypt's patchy reputation over political freedom.

Obama said that the most important thing for the US was to "serve as a role model".

"Part of what we want to affirm to the world is that these are values that are important even when it's hard, may be especially when it's hard and not just when it's easy."

"That's why, for example, closing Guantanamo from my perspective as difficult as it is, is important."

Obama is facing domestic resistance to his plans to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, with critics citing concerns over what would happen to inmates still considered to pose a risk to the US.

The US President said he wanted to "open a dialogue" between the West and the Muslim world to overcome what he described as "misapprehensions" on both sides.

However, he stressed that there were no "silver bullets" to overcome problems but instead some "very real policy issues that have to be worked through".

"Ultimately, it's going to be action and not words that determine the progress from here on out."

On the thorny Middle East peace talks, he said the US believes it is "going to be able to get serious negotiations back on track" between Israel and the Palestinians.