Obama urges Mid-East reforms, cites India and China

Citing the fast growth of India and China, US President Barack Obama has called for reforms in the Middle East so that people there too could prosper by taking advantage of the global economy.

"There's no reason why countries in the Middle East shouldn't have the same kind of growth rates that you're seeing in China and India," he said at White House news conference on Friday on the energy situation in the wake of the unrest in the region.

"There's nothing inherent about the people in those countries that would prevent that," he said. "What's preventing it is the fact that for many decades you've seen a lack of opening up that allows you to take advantage of the global economy."

"It is in the interest of the entire region to reform itself - both politically and economically - so that the incredible talents of young people throughout that region can be tapped," Obama said.

"Each country is going to be different and it's going to ultimately be up to the people in those countries to determine the best form for them to seize this opportunity," he said. "But we should be on the side of those who want to seize this opportunity."

Obama also called for a pragmatic approach towards dealing with the current unrest in the Middle East.