WASHINGTON (AP) — A top U.S. diplomat says that Arab leaders facing mass protests need to lead the way rather than resist reform, and she denies that the Obama administration has abandon its allies in the Middle East.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, says that the U.S. has pressed allied governments not to stage violent crackdowns on peaceful protests and has urged them to embrace the demands for democracy. She says that the U.S. has not pushed any leaders out or decided that they should stay.
Rice also says the U.S. is "very concerned" about reports of security forces firing on peaceful protesters in Libya, where nearly a week of protests have left at least 200 dead.
Rice spoke Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press."
© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.