Biden promises ‘relentless diplomacy’ to skeptical allies – KIRO 7 News Seattle

UNITED NATIONS – (AP) – President Joe Biden, in his first address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, called on the nations of the world to vigorously address the simmering global problems of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuses. He condemned a military conflict and insisted that the US did not seek a “new Cold War” with China.

However, Biden stressed the urgency of cooperation with his counterparts, but avoided responding to criticism from allies about the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan and a diplomatic storm with France.

Instead, Biden used his address at the annual meeting of world leaders to campaign for the United States to remain a reliable international partner after four years of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy “America first”.

“We are opening a new era of relentless diplomacy by harnessing the power of our development aid to invest in new ways to benefit people around the world,” said Biden.

The president passionately urged friends and adversaries to work together, arguing that overcoming a daunting list of crises “will depend on our ability to recognize our common humanity”.

Biden said the U.S., under his supervision, had reached a turning point with the end of military operations in Afghanistan last month and ended America’s longest war. That is the table so that his government can turn its attention to intense diplomacy at a time when there is no shortage of crises around the world.

“Today, many of our greatest concerns cannot be resolved or even addressed by force of arms,” he said. “Bombs and bullets cannot defend themselves against COVID-19 or its future variants.”

Strongly endorsing the relevance and ambition of the United Nations at a difficult time in history, Biden sought to reassure cautious allies of US cooperation.

He pledged to double US financial aid to poorer countries to help them switch to cleaner energy and cope with the “ruthless” effects of climate change. That would mean increasing aid to about $ 11.4 billion a year – after doubling to $ 5.7 billion a year five months ago. The Biden government has set a target of $ 11.4 billion by 2024.

As part of the fight against climate change, rich nations have pledged for many years to spend $ 100 billion a year on climate aid, but a new study shows they are short of $ 20 billion a year. Biden said his new commitment would help rich nations achieve their goal.

There is a dramatic gap between rich and poor in the climate negotiations. Developing countries and others are reluctant to curb heat storage gas emissions further without the help of developed countries, who – in the words of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson – “are the guys who caused the problem”.

Biden seemed to be putting behind the growing skepticism he faced from world leaders early in his presidency, including criticism that Biden was meeting allies’ concerns about issues that affect America’s friends on the world stage have given too little weight.

Eight months after his presidency, Biden was at odds with allies at the end of the US war in Afghanistan. He has faced disagreements over how to share coronavirus vaccines with developing countries and pandemic travel restrictions. And there are questions about how best to respond to China’s military and economic moves.

Its most recent explosion with France arose out of a three-way deal between the US, Britain and Australia that undermined a more than $ 60 billion French submarine deal in favor of a plan to equip Australia with nuclear submarines.

The move is expected to provide Australia with enhanced Pacific patrol capabilities amid growing concerns over increasingly aggressive tactics by the Chinese military.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday that there had been a “crisis of confidence” with the US as a result of the incident.

Biden wasn’t that concerned. When asked by a reporter when he arrived at the United Nations on Tuesday how he would mend relations with the French, Biden replied with two words: “You are great.”

In an interview prior to meeting Biden on Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told The Associated Press that he was concerned about the “utterly dysfunctional” relationship between the US and China and the possibility that it could lead to a new Cold War.

The secretary-general did not withdraw his concerns about US-China tensions as he addressed leaders at the opening of the assembly on Tuesday. “It will be impossible to tackle dramatic economic and development challenges while the world’s two largest economies are at odds,” he said.

Trying to downplay concerns about the escalation of tensions in China, Biden said, “We are not looking for a new Cold War or a world that is divided into rigid blocks.” It is noteworthy that Biden did not use the word ” China “pronounced.

In a broader sense, he stressed the need for world leaders to work together on the COVID-19 pandemic, meet past commitments to tackle climate change, avert emerging technology issues and tighten trade rules.

“We will choose to build a better future. We, you and I, we have the will and the ability to do better. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to waste any more time, ”he said. “We can do this.”

Biden has limited his time at the United Nations due to concerns about the coronavirus. He met with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in New York after his speech before returning to the White House for a busy week of diplomacy in virtual and Washington settings.

Morrison and Biden did not comment on the flap with the French when they appeared shortly before the media at the beginning of their meeting.

British Prime Minister Johnson, during his meeting with Biden later on Tuesday at the White House, casually referred to the new security alliance that paved the way for the submarine deal. Johnson said the formation of the alliance called AUKUS “has great potential to help the whole world”.

The president’s advisors agreed on Tuesday that Biden would hold a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on Sunday that Macron, who was among many world leaders who did not attend UNGA in person, would speak to Biden in the coming days.

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Madhani reported from Washington. Associated Press authors Seth Borenstein, Matthew Daly and Darlene Superville in Washington, Jonathan Lemire in New York, and Edith Lederer from the United Nations contributed to this report.

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