Britain: Don't let Arab Spring go to waste

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UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- The British government called for international unity to ensure political gains in the Middle East and North Africa don't evaporate.

The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia in 2010 sparked a wave of political unrest in the region, leading to the downfall of longstanding regimes in Egypt, Libya and Yemen. More than a year after the so-called Arab Spring began Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi this week became the first democratically elected leader from that country to address the U.N. General Assembly.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague issued a statement on the sidelines of the U.N. meeting saying it's not for Western governments to impose their systems on the region.

"However, there is a crucial role for the international community to play in supporting peaceful reform," he said.

London is taking part in a so-called Friends of Yemen meeting during the U.N. meeting. Hague called on the international community to ensure political freedoms secured during last year's protests endure.

"We must continue to work to ensure that the United Nations acts a bridge for effective international cooperation to provide this support to the region," he said.

Hague during his meetings in the United States announced the appointment of Stephen O'Brien, a member of Parliament, as a special envoy to the Sahel region of North Africa.