Clinton: bridges needed fixing
2010-02-07 23:22
Washington - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended Sunday the Obama administration's engagement-oriented foreign policy and said 2010 would build on important gains made in the first year.
"First it's almost hard to remember how poorly much of the world viewed the United States when President [Barack] Obama came into office," Clinton told CNN's State of the Union programme.
"And both his election and his persona, combined with the approach we took of seeking to find the basis for engagement on mutual respect and mutual interest, has really created a much more open, receptive atmosphere."
But critics say Obama has little but a dubious Nobel Peace Prize to show for his efforts after setting a record for foreign travel in his first year.
Some also accuse him of taking a wrong turn in committing 30 000 more American troops to what they see as an unwinnable quagmire in Afghanistan.
Obama also extended a hand to American adversaries including Cuba, Venezuela and Iran and is accused of stalling on the Middle East peace process, which didn't even get a mention in his State of the Union address.
But Clinton said the Obama administration had worked hard to repair relations with Russia and to engage with China and a host of other important countries after a damaging eight years of former president George W Bush.
Change the mindset
"We had to change the mindset of not just leaders but of their populations," she said.
"We are moving toward a new nuclear arms treaty with Russia, something that has been a high priority with us. We have reset our relationship."
Clinton asked for patience and suggested the US charm offensive would pay dividends if given time.
"We are working in many difficult situations in every continent, but I think we're being received in a positive way, which gives us a better chance to find common ground.
"I really feel that the engagement was the first stage," she said. "Now, this year, 2010, has to be a year of implementing and building on the positive foundation that we've built.