Obama ‘prepared to work’ with Russia, Iran on Syria

UNITED NATIONS: President Barack Obama declared Monday that the United States does not want a new Cold War over the Ukraine conflict and is prepared to work with Russia and Iran on the Syrian crisis.

"The United States is prepared to work with any nation, including Russia and Iran, to resolve the conflict," Obama said of Syria, addressing the United Nations General Assembly.

Russia´s President Vladimir Putin was due to address the assembly later and has urged world powers to back Syria´s President Bashar al-Assad in his battle against the Islamic State (IS) militants.

Obama argued it would be wrong to support a "tyrant" like Assad, but that Washington was ready to work with anyone ready to take on the militants’ threat, even Moscow and traditional US foe Tehran.

And he insisted that the sanctions Western powers imposed on Moscow in the wake of Russia´s intervention in Ukraine were meant to protect Kiev´s sovereignty not trigger conflict with Moscow.

"We cannot stand by when the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a nation is flagrantly violated," he said.

"If that happens without consequence in Ukraine, it could happen to any nation gathered here today.

"That´s the basis of the sanctions that the United States and our partners impose on Russia. It is not a desire to return to a Cold War," he said.

Obama calls for lifting Cuba embargo

President Obama also called for ending the decades-old US embargo on Cuba during his speech.

Obama said he was confident that the US Congress will "inevitably lift an embargo that should not be in place anymore," drawing applause from the 193-nation assembly.

Washington and Havana reestablished diplomatic relations in July after more than half a century of enmity.

But the US embargo, which has been in place since 1960, remains a bone of contention as the Republican-held Congress balks at the administration´s move to end the blockade.

Obama acknowledged that Washington´s Cuba policy had "failed to improve the lives of the Cuban people" but stressed that human rights remained a concern in relations with Havana.

Obama spoke ahead of Cuban leader Raul Castro´s first address to the UN General Assembly and a meeting is planned Tuesday between the two leaders, only the second since the thaw in relations.