http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90780/91343/6590563.htmlJoe Biden: The change we need for US diplomacy
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16:11, February 11, 2009
At the 45th Munich Conference on Security Policy running from February 6 to 8, US Vice President Joe Biden, representing Obama administration, explained the fundamental diplomatic policies of the United States for the first time. Three aspects in his address caught audiences’ attention at the conference, which were : US new diplomatic policy would break away from Bush unilateral doctrine and US was determined to enhance ties with EU, and establish new relations with other countries worldwide; US is ready to “reboot” relations with Russia; US is willing to talk to Iran.
Biden’s speech showed the new US diplomatic policy was very flexible. The US can’t continue with Bush administration’s adoption of unilateralism and militarism, and the change is eminent. The new government needs to clear up the mess and avoid unnecessary geopolitical disasters which could inflict heavy loss on US interest.
New US government will also attach great importance to the dialogue and coordination mechanism with international community and governments around the word. Bush’s legacy upon international policy has been proved “overwhelmingly negative”. With regard to the global downturn, US feels it far exceeds its ability to handle all the issues. US needs to realize great things can be done by mass efforts and there is strength in numbers. It is time to make changes.
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The new administration in the US will safeguard the fundamental national interests, and so will the governments all over the world. However the distribution of interests is the result of battle of wits and compromise. It is an art of politics to safeguard the national interests, which requires long-term perspective.
The power shift in the US will bring about great changes not only to its political system but also to the development of racial equality and culture. The theory of the clash of civilization proposed by political scientist Samuel P. Huntington embodies the sense of lost of the main-streaming Anglo-Saxon culture. It seems that the change is about to come. The cultural change will have influence upon the diplomatic comprehension of the Americans, and help bring change in diplomatic outlook. The diplomacy is continuation of domestic politics and the cultural change within a country will have fundamental impact on its diplomacy.
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Moscow Welcomes ‘Reset’ Of U.S. Ties
By Nikolaus von Twickel
Staff Writer
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has made a first crucial step toward breaking the ice between Washington and Moscow, winning carefully worded approval from the Russian government.
Vice President Joe Biden told an annual security conference in Munich this weekend that relations with Russia would be given a new start, signaling a break with the presidency of George W. Bush, which saw ties spiraling to post-Cold War lows.
“It is time to press the reset button and to revisit the many areas where we can and should be working together with Russia,” Biden said Saturday, according to a transcript published on the U.S. State Department’s web site.
Biden was speaking at the same conference where two years ago then-President Vladimir Putin harshly attacked Washington’s foreign policy. Putin’s “Munich speech” later became synonymous with the Kremlin’s growing assertiveness and troubled ties with the United States.
Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said Sunday that Biden’s speech was very positive and that he most liked the comments about “restarting the button.”
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http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=28215
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