19/11/2015

USPresidentBarackObamaaddressesannualAsiaPacificEconomicCooperationsummitTheHindu

INTERNATIONAL

MANILA,November18,2015

RussiashouldshiftfocusonIslamicState:Obama
Agencies

Reuters
USPresidentBarackObamaaddressestheAPECSummitinManilaonWednesday.
ObamasaidcallstohalttheflowofrefugeestotheUnitedStateswereaimedatscoringpoliticalpoints.
U.S.PresidentBarackObamasaidonWednesdaythat,followingtheattacksonParis,hewantedMoscowtoshiftitsfocusfromproppingup
Syria'sgovernmenttofightingIslamicStateandwoulddiscussthiswithRussianPresidentVladimirPutin.
Mr.Obama,whoisinManilatoattendtheannualAsiaPacificEconomicCooperationsummit,alsosaidhewelcomedFrance'smovetostep
upstrikesonIslamicStateandthatWashingtonwouldhelpitsally.
Mr.Obamasaidthathesaw"hysteriaandexaggerationofrisk"insomeoftheoppositionbypoliticiansathometoU.S.acceptanceofmore
refugeesfromSyria.
HesaidcallstohalttheflowofrefugeestotheUnitedStateswereaimedatscoringpoliticalpoints.
Itneedstostopbecausetheworldiswatching,Mr.Obamasaid.
ObamasaysGOPincitementonSyriarefugees'needstostop'
Mr.ObamalashedoutatRepublicanswhoinsistonbarringSyrianrefugeesfromenteringtheU.S.,deemingtheirwordsoffensiveand
insistingitneedstostop.
ApparentlytheyrescaredofwidowsandorphanscomingintotheUnitedStatesofAmerica,Mr.Obamasaid.
MockingGOPleadersforthinkingtheyretough,ObamasaidoverblownrhetoricfromRepublicanscouldbeapotentrecruitmenttoolforthe
IslamicStategroup.HeinsistedtheU.S.processforscreeningrefugeesforpossibleentryintotheU.S.isrigorousandsaidtheU.S.doesnt
makegooddecisionsbasedonhysteriaorexaggeratedrisk.
Wearenotwellservedwheninresponsetoaterroristattackwedescendintofearandpanic,thepresidentsaid.
Mr.ObamascommentsduringameetingwithPhilippinePresidentBenignoAquinomarkedhisharshestcondemnationyetofRepublicans
responsetotheParisattacksblamedonISthatkilled129peoplelastweek.RepublicansinCongressandonthe2016presidentialtrailhave
urgedanimmediateclosureofAmericasborderstoSyrianrefugees,buttheObamaadministrationhasshownnosignofbackingoffitsplans
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19/11/2015

USPresidentBarackObamaaddressesannualAsiaPacificEconomicCooperationsummitTheHindu

tobringanadditional10,000SyriansfleeingcivilwarintotheU.S.
Mr.ObamatookparticularireataproposalbyGOPpresidentialcandidateJebBushtoadmitonlyChristianSyrians.Bushlaterclarifiedhe
wantstogivepreferencetoChristiansbutnotexcludeproperlyvettedMuslims.Still,ObamasaidtheideaofonlyallowingChristiansin
amountedtopoliticalposturingthatrunscontrarytoAmericanvalues.
InCongress,HouseSpeakerPaulRyanandSenateMajorityLeaderMitchMcConnellhaveurgedatleastatemporaryhaltintheresettlement
ofSyrians,whiledisputingObamaadministrationclaimsthatthesmallnumbersmakingtheirwayheresofararebeingthoroughly
investigated.Mr.Obamasaidhesbeenwaitingforayearandahalfforlawmakerstotakeuprefugeelegislation,questioningwhytheyare
nowsuddenlyinarush.
Defendinghisadministrationsscreeningprogram,Mr.Obamasaidittakes18to24monthstocleararefugeeforentry,followingvettingby
theU.S.intelligencecommunityandotheragenciesaswellasbiometrics.
AlthoughthereareindicationsthatoneoftheISattackerscarriedaSyrianpassportandmayhavearrivedinFrancealongsiderefugees,
Germanystopsecurityofficialhassaidthepassportmighthavebeenafakeintendedtostokefears.Still,Mr.Obamaacknowledgedthatthe
U.S.publicwasconcernedaboutattacksonthehomeland,notingthatParisremindsusofhome.
IunderstandwhyAmericanshavebeenparticularlyaffected,hesaid.

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