Price for new era of US relations

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By Rob Watson BBC News, Munich Joe Biden (l) came to set a new tone for America's international relations

This Munich Security Conference will likely be remembered as the moment the US tried to press the reset button not just on its relations with Russia but with its traditional allies in Europe.

And just as important as the message was the seniority of the man sent to bring it - the Vice-President himself, Joe Biden.

He said he came to Europe to set a new tone in America's relations with the world.

What he promised was a new caring, sharing and listening America that would be as worried about climate change and poverty as it is about terrorism.

Of course there was a price tag attached.

New approach

America's European allies would have to do more - whether on helping to close Guantanamo or in being more ready to use force in situations where all else fails. There is also some scepticism as to how long the honeymoon between Washington and Europe will last

Despite the expected price tag it was a message the gathering of world leaders, senior government ministers, officials and diplomats wanted to hear.

There was a broad sense in Munich that President Obama's promises of a new approach to the world were not just campaign rhetoric, but something far more concrete.

One delegate told the BBC it was the return of the "old America", an America that it would be easier for Europe to do business with despite the extra demands that may be made on the allies in return.

Of course no-one here is expecting all the world's problems to suddenly disappear.

There is also some scepticism as to how long the honeymoon between Washington and Europe will last, with one senior politician privately voicing concern about America's commitment to multi-lateralism and Europe's ability to "up its game".

As to specific details of a new US foreign policy, they were thin on the ground.

No surprise there, as Washington has made clear many of them are still being worked out.

But there was again the offer of direct talks with Iran and a call for a new relationship with Russia.

Afghanistan issue

As to the responses so far, the Americans appear to be cautiously positive.

Although Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani's speech to the conference was peppered with familiar doses of anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism, many here seized on the brief nuggets in it clearly designed to offer encouragement to the new administration.

And in terms of tone, at least things are clearly off to a better start with Moscow, with Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov emerging from his meeting with Vice-President Biden describing the change in Washington as inspiring optimism.

But the conference ends with a sense that the real work lies ahead and not just in terms of Iran, Russia and other areas of diplomacy.

In one of the conference sessions where Afghanistan was the subject for discussion, the new US envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke pointedly declared it would be even tougher than Iraq.

Nobody seemed inclined to disagree.