The United States has "seen the costs of disengagement" and is "dramatically changing its approach" with the United Nations to seek the effective global cooperation on major challenges, U.S. top UN envoy Susan Rice said here Wednesday, reported Xinhua.
In a speech at New York University's Center for Global Affairs, Rice said the change was essential because the world was facing an extraordinary array of global challenges, which "cannot be tackled by any one country alone."
"While U.S. leadership is necessary, it is rarely sufficient. We need the effective cooperation of a broad range of friends and partners, "she said.
Although not mentioning the previous Bush administration, Rice highlighted the "new course" Washington was steering at the 192-member world body under current President Barack Obama.
"We have paid the price of sniff-arming the UN and spurning our international partners," Rice said.
Relations between the United States and the world body were at a low point in 2003, when U.S. initiated the Iraqi war. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan labelled the war an illegal act by the Bush administration.
The ambassador said the country should acknowledge mistakes, correct course when necessary, treat others with respect and forge strategies in partnership so that "others will likely to shoulder a greater share of the global burden."
"Everyone notices when a superpower becomes an agent of change-in word and deed, in policy and tone. We are demonstrating that the United States is willing to listen, respect differences, and consider new ideas," Rice said.
She stressed that America's security and wellbeing were "inextricably linked to those of people elsewhere," adding the UN was "essential to our efforts to galvanize concerted actions that make Americans safer and more secure."
Rice said the United States would participate constructively in the UN by "rolling up sleeves to get things done rather then throw up hands," and seek constructive working relations with countries big and small.
She cited a series of examples including Washington's return to the UN Human Rights Council in May, the signing of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the support for the UN Population Fund.
The ambassador also said the U.S. would meet their obligations, promising to clear U.S. arrears to the UN's regular budget and peacekeeping budget.
"The UN is imperfect, but it is also indispensable. There can be no substitute for the legitimacy the UN can impart or its potential to mobilize the widest possible coalition," she said.
...