WASHINGTON - PRESIDENT Barack Obama on Monday told his Middle East envoy George Mitchell to engage 'vigorously' to forge 'genuine progress' in the region, as he left on his debut mission in his new post.

Mr Obama met Mr Mitchell at the White House along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ahead of his trip to Israel and the Palestinian West Bank, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, France and Britain.

'The charge that Senator Mitchell has is to engage vigorously and consistently in order for us to achieve genuine progress,' Mr Obama said.

'It is not something that we're going to be able to do overnight,' Mr Obama cautioned.

'But I am absolutely confident that if the United States is engaged in a consistent way and in an early fashion that we can make genuine progress.' -- AFP