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Brown faith in alliance with US | Brown faith in alliance with US |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Gordon Brown has hailed the strength of UK-US relations after Barack Obama's election, saying the two nations must "provide leadership" in troubled times. | |
In a speech in London, Mr Brown said the "special relationship" between the nations is enduring and a means of building a stabler and fairer world . | |
He urged the president-elect to create a "pact" with the international community to address global challenges. | |
The PM also said that failure was not an option in Afghanistan. | |
'Dawn of hope' | 'Dawn of hope' |
In a major address on foreign policy, at the Lord Mayor's Banquet, Mr Brown said Mr Obama's election has brought forth a new "dawn of hope" in the US. | |
The alliance between Britain and America can and must provide leadership Gordon Brown | The alliance between Britain and America can and must provide leadership Gordon Brown |
He argued that the relationship between the UK and US has been a force for good for 50 years as an "engine of effective multilateralism". | |
And he said the two countries must take the lead in shaping a stronger global order underpinned by their shared faith in democracy and the fight against poverty as well as the urgent need to rebuild the global financial system and tackle climate change. | |
"The alliance between Britain and America - and more broadly between Europe and America - can and must provide leadership," the prime minister said. | |
"Not in order to make and impose the rules ourselves but to lead and broaden the global effort to build a stronger, secure and more equitable international order." | "Not in order to make and impose the rules ourselves but to lead and broaden the global effort to build a stronger, secure and more equitable international order." |
'Afghan test' | 'Afghan test' |
On Afghanistan, Mr Brown acknowledged that, when he enters the White House, Mr Obama is likely to press other Nato members to send more troops to the country. | |
He said he "welcomes" a debate over greater burden-sharing but say this must go hand in hand with other measures including building the capacity of the Afghan army and reducing corruption. | |
"Afghanistan is a test the international community cannot afford to fail and we will not fail." | "Afghanistan is a test the international community cannot afford to fail and we will not fail." |
Addressing other challenges, Mr Brown also insisted that the UK will work "relentlessly" to secure a lasting political solution to end the violence and humanitarian crisis in Congo. | |
Ahead of a meeting of world leaders in Washington next week to discuss reform of global finance, Mr Brown said far-reaching changes are needed to ensure key bodies like the IMF and G8 are more representative and better equipped to deal with future crises. | |
"If we do so, 2008 will be remembered not just for a financial crash that engulfed the world but for the decisiveness and optimism with which the world faced the storm, endured it and prevailed." | "If we do so, 2008 will be remembered not just for a financial crash that engulfed the world but for the decisiveness and optimism with which the world faced the storm, endured it and prevailed." |