U.S. President George W. Bush, in his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, said the propaganda by the extremists that the West is launching a war against Islam is wrong, and vowed to support democratic leaders and moderate reformers across the Middle East.

"I'd like to speak directly to the people across the broader Middle East. My country desires peace. Extremists in your midsts spread propaganda claiming that the West is engaged in a war against Islam. This propaganda is false and its purpose is to confuse you and justify acts of terror," Bush said.

"We respect Islam, but we will protect our people from those who pervert Islam to sow death and destruction," Bush said, adding that the U.S. goal is to help the Middle East build a "more tolerant and hopeful society that honors people of all faiths and promotes the peace."

Bush also vowed to stand with democratic leaders and moderate reformers across the Middle East.

"We must give them voice to the hopes of decent men and women who want for their children are the same things we want for ours. We must seek stability through a free and just Middle East," Bush said.

On the situation in Darfur, Sudan, Bush urged world leaders to act quickly if the Sudanese government does not approve the proposed deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to Darfur region.

Bush said the world must step forward to provide additional humanitarian aid to the people of Darfur who had suffered " unspeakable violence," and strengthen the African Union force currently deployed there.

The UN Security Council adopted resolution 1706 on Aug. 31 that calls for a 17,000-strong UN force and up to 3,300 civilian police in Darfur to take over from the African troops. Khartoum so far has rejected deploying the UN troops.

"If the Sudanese government does not approve this peacekeeping force quickly, the United Nations must act," Bush said.

Bush also announced his appointment of Andrew Natsios, former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, as a presidential special envoy to help end the violence in Darfur.

On Iran's nuclear program, Bush said Iran must abandon what he called its "nuclear weapons ambitions."

The United Nations has passed a clear resolution requiring that Iran meet its international obligation, and Iran must abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, he said.

Bush said the United States has no objection to Iran's pursuit of a truly peaceful nuclear power program and is working toward a diplomatic solution to this crisis.

Speaking direct to the Iranian people, Bush said "the United States respect you. We respect your country. We admire your rich history, your vibrant culture and your many contributions to civilization."

He said the Iranian people deserve an opportunity to determine their own future, an economy that rewards their intelligence and their talents, and a society that allows them to fulfill their tremendous potential.

"The greatest obstacle to this future is that your ruler have chosen to deny you liberty and to use your nation's resources to fund terrorism and fuel extremism and pursue nuclear weapons," Bush charged.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that Iran's nuclear program is very clear and very transparent, "We have always said that we are willing to negotiate with any country."

If nuclear energy "is something good then everyone should have it, and if it is bad then nobody should have it," he said.

Washington, however, seems bend on pressing major powers to begin readying sanctions against Iran if there is no progress soon.

Source: Xinhua