U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden gives a
speech at the 45th Conference on Security Policy in Munich February 7,
2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo
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by Xinhua writers Xie Dongfeng, Shi Xiang
MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The 45th Munich
Security Conference, which concluded on Sunday, was sure to be remembered for
the years to come as the new U.S. administration, determined to repair relations
with Russia and Europe, set a so-called "new tone" in its foreign policy which
could have deep repercussions around the world.
"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. That new tone -- rooted in strong partnerships to meet common
challenges -- is not a luxury. It is a necessity," said U.S. Vice President Joe
Baiden in a much anticipated speech on Saturday.
In the first presentation outside the United States
of the President Barack Obama administration's foreign and security policy,
Biden outlined two major points in this "new tone," first to develop a new
transatlantic relations, and second, to improve Washington's relationship with
Russia with enhanced cooperation.
¡¡¡¡NEW CHAPTER IN TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS
Distancing away from the Bush administration's
proneness to unilateralism when dealing with the European allies, Biden said
it's time to open a new chapter in the transatlantic relations. He promised that
Washington will "sincerely" listen to its European allies and consult with them.
Bush's unilateral announcement of war on Iraq had
caused a rift in EU-U.S. relations, and Biden came to the repairing, saying that
"in sharing ideals and searching for partners in a more complex world, Americans
and Europeans still look to one another before they look to anyone else."
The new gestures from Washington drew positive
reactions in Europe. Gert Weisskirchen, a Social Democratic spokesman on foreign
policy of Germany, said Sunday that it was the first time in quite a long time
that the Americans said they were willing to listen carefully to opinions of the
Europeans, and was ready to jointly work with the European allies to address the
common threats through joint actions.
European leaders attached great importance to and put
a lot of hopes on Biden's first foreign trip since his taking office in January,
sending leaders of the three most important EU nations --German Chancellor
Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and British Foreign Secretary
David Miliband -- to meet him.
At least, the Europeans got what they would like to
listen to --promises of collaboration from the other side of the Atlantic.
However, Biden was quick to drop hints that a new
transatlantic relationship means the Europeans would have to contribute more.
"America will do more, but America will ask for more
from our partners," he said. And he immediately asked for European help in
accepting detainees in the Guantanamo detention camp, which America aims to
close within one year, and in providing more troops and more assistance to
Afghanistan.
The U.S. government is planning to send as many as
30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, and has made no secret that he wants
Germany and other European countries to increase their involvement in the
NATO-lead peacekeeping mission, but Germany and France have been reluctant to do
so. And the German government is particularly cautious on the issue as the
country holds the general elections in September this year.
German Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung told
Americans on Sunday that more efforts should be spent in reconstruction and
police training in Afghanistan, saying that "we will not win by military means
alone."
Commenting on some European nations' reluctance to
provide more troops to Afghanistan, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
said Saturday that it was not the right balance within NATO. New transatlantic
relations not only need joint leadership, but also need the sharing of joint
responsibilities.
"If Europe wants a greater voice, it needs to do
more," he said.
RUSSIA WELCOMES "STRONG
SIGNAL" FROM WASHINGTON TO BETTER TIES
Relations between Washington and Moscow had hit low
over the recent years due to differences over NATO's eastward enlargement and
Washington's plan to deploy missile defense system in East Europe.
Biden said on Saturday that America hopes to reduce
tension in the relations, and relaunch cooperation in non-proliferation of the
nuclear weapons, disarmament, arms control. He also said that both sides can
keep differences while working together.
In a meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Sergei Ivanov on Sunday, the first contact between top officials from the two
sides since Obama took office, Biden repeated this position to his Russian
counterpart.
Ivanov said Russia welcomed the "strong signal" from
Washington to promote bilateral relations, and was ready to cooperate with it in
all fields. Meanwhile, he demands mutual trust in the cooperation.
To Ivanov, what is more important is what Obama would
do with Russia in the future. "we'll wait and see," said Ivanonv.
Analysts said that behind the beautiful promises from
Biden, it seemed the United States would not make any concessions on some key
spheres.
"We will strive, every day, to honor the values that
animate America's democracy," said Biden.
And he reminded the Russians that his country would
continue to develop missile defense to counter threats from "rogue" states like
Iran. "We will do so in consultation with our NATO allies and Russia," he added.
He said America would not recognize Abkhazia and
South Ossetia as independent states, which Moscow recognized, and will not
recognize a "sphere of influence," referring to Russia's traditional dominance
in some former Soviet states.
Meanwhile, he warned against Moscow's opposition to
some former Soviet nations' ambitions to join NATO. "It will remain our view
that sovereign states have the right to make their own decisions and choose
their own alliances," he stressed.
CALLS FOR
MULTILATERALISM
The more than 350 participants to the Munich
conference agreed that with the world fighting the financial crisis, climate
change and other global challenges, no single country, no matter how powerful it
is, could solve the problems by itself. Multilateral cooperation is needed more
than ever to address these issues.
"We believe that international alliances and
organizations do not diminish America's power -- they help us advance our
collective security, economic interests and values," said Biden. "America needs
the world, just as I believe the world needs America."
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso
called Saturday for a more effective multilateralism to address the global
security threats.
"To meet today's global security threats, the
European Security Strategy calls for a more effective multilateralism as the
only way forward," said Barroso.
While EU cooperation with the United Nations, NATO
and the United States are essential for a more effective multilateralism,
Barroso said that "it is time to encourage our other partners to see that they
too have an interest in, and responsibility for, the global community because
that is the only way we can consolidate and strengthen a stable, multilateral
world, governed by internationally-agreed rules."
Both French President Sarkozy and EU High
Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana urged
the EU and the United States to take seriously Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev's proposals on restructuring European security arrangement, which
features multilateral participation.
Analysts said that the G20 summit on financial crisis
in April in London could immediately serve as a test as to how multilateral
collaboration could contribute to addressing the lingering issue.
MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President
Joe Biden said here Saturday that it is time now for America and NATO allies to
repair relations with Russia, which had been strained over a string of events
including NATO's eastward enlargement and Washington's plan to deploy a missile
defense shield in Europe. Full story
MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President
Joe Biden said Saturday that the United States is willing to talk to Iran
conditionally, and would try to avoid the last resort to war with the Gulf
country.
"Our government is reviewing our policies to Iran. We will
be willing to talk to Iran and offer various choices," but would act to isolate
and pressure Iran if it continues its "current course" and does not scrap its
nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism, Biden said in a speech at the
Munich Security Conference. Full story
