Diplomacy over military- Malaysiakini

MUNICH - DELIVERING the Obama administration's first major foreign policy speech, Vice-President Joe Biden said the United States would emphasise diplomacy over military power while urging allies to shoulder more of the burden in tackling global crises.

He effectively repudiated former president George W. Bush's 'with us or against us' foreign policy.

'I come to Europe on behalf of a new administration determined to set a new tone in Washington, and in America's relations around the world,' he told a security conference in Munich, Germany, yesterday.

'We believe that international alliances and organisations do not diminish America's power. We believe they help us advance our collective security, economic interests and our values.

'So we will engage. We will listen. We will consult. America needs the world, just as I believe the world needs America,' he added.

But Mr Biden made it clear the US was still prepared to use military force to protect its national security.

'There is no conflict between our security and our ideals. They are mutually reinforcing. The force of arms won our independence, and throughout our history, the force of arms has protected our freedom. That will not change,' he said.

While promising that Washington would consult and listen more to its allies, he said it would also ask more from them, for example, by requesting that they take in inmates from the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which President Barack Obama has said will be closed within a year.

'America will do more, but America will ask for more from our partners,' he said. 'The threats we face have no respect for borders. No single country, no matter how powerful, can best meet them alone.'

He said America's allies should also 'rethink some of their own approaches - including their willingness to use force when all else fails'.

In the wide-ranging speech, Mr Biden called for a greater commitment by Nato members on Afghanistan, a united effort to force Iran to scrap its nuclear programme, a sharp reduction in nuclear arsenals, and a halt in what he called a 'dangerous drift' in relations with Russia.

The Vice-President's speech was short on any announcements, but analysts had said beforehand that his mere appearance at the conference, which is normally attended by the US defence secretary, sent an important signal to Europe that the Obama administration was keen to rebuild strained relations.

He called for a renewal of Nato to face 21st century threats and for a new resolve by member states to face them.

'Our alliance must be better equipped to help stop the spread of the world's most dangerous weapons, to tackle terrorism and cyber-security, to expand its writ to energy security and to act in and out of area effectively.'

Mr Biden also confirmed that President Obama would attend a summit of the G-20 group of advanced and developing nations in London on April 2, and said Washington would 'lead by example and act aggressively' on climate change.

Reuters, AFP