U.S. FOREIGN POLICY: ENGAGING THE WORLD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 043083 SIPDIS, PASS TO PAOS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO SUBJECT: U.S. FOREIGN POLICY: ENGAGING THE WORLD ¶1. In keeping with the President's vision for active diplomatic engagement with the world to advance American interests and address the challenges our nation faces in the 21st century, our foreign policy team has been actively promoting partnerships to secure a better future, addressing the global financial crisis, and implementing a vision for an America that adheres to our values, protects our people, and promotes mutual understanding and respect around the world. ¶2. The President, Secretary Clinton, and others on the foreign policy team have traveled around the globe meeting with leaders and engaging foreign publics in order to listen to their concerns, learn from their perspectives, and seek out opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Our approach is based on an understanding that while we may reach common purpose in many areas, we will also disagree on principle in some others. When we do disagree, we voice our disagreement respectfully. ¶3. As we near the end of the First 100 Days of the Obama Administration on April 29, we expect that the international media, like their American counterparts, will use this moment to take stock of the Administration's and your progress. The talking points in this cable are meant to help answer questions about the Administration's approach to global issues and how the United States hopes to interact with them. ¶4. Begin Proposed Talking Points The President's Foreign Policy -- The President took office with a commitment to seek a better relationship with the world, repair alliances, and build partnerships to deal with global threats and concerns. He expressed it clearly in his inaugural address when he told the American people and the world: "America is a friend of each nation, and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity. And we are ready to lead once more." -- In his second full day in office, the President upheld America's values while protecting our armed forces and homeland by signing executive orders to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center and banning torture. -- That same day, President Obama also visited the State Department to convey his "commitment to the importance of diplomacy and renewing American leadership." He said: "The inheritance of our young century demands a new era of American leadership. We must recognize that America's strength comes not just from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from our enduring values. And for the sake of our national security and the common aspirations of people around the globe, this era has to begin now." -- In these first 100 days, the President, along with his entire foreign policy team, including our diplomats on the front lines, have directly engaged people and leaders across the globe and demonstrated that America will rely on strength, vision, and respect in order to make progress possible. -- The President has laid out a foreign policy vision that rejects the false choice between our values and our security; the world needs to see that we can be true to our values and ideals while advancing our interests. -- The President is following through on a commitment to do a more effective job of reaching out, listening, and speaking to the Muslim world, with an interview on Al Arabiya, a new year's message to the people of Iran, and a speech to the Turkish people. He expressed America's desire that our relationship with the Muslim world be based on more than our shared opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. -- We will promote progress and change first through the power of our ideas. We will seek to implement these ideas by using all elements of national power: smart diplomacy, effective development, economic leverage, and military solutions. -- This Administration recognizes that while there are STATE 00043083 002 OF 003 instances and individuals who can be met only by force, the United States will be prepared to listen to and talk with our adversaries in order to advance our interests. Diplomatic Achievements of the First 100 Days -- The President and his economic team rallied the world at the G-20 behind concrete steps to deal with the global financial crisis. We did so while placing an emphasis on making sure that those less fortunate were not ignored, and called on the Congress to double U.S. financial support for agricultural development in the developing world to more than $1 billion in 2010. -- At the NATO and EU Summits, we partnered with our Allies on a new strategy to address the serious challenge we face in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Our new approach focuses our efforts on confronting a common enemy that threatens the United States, our friends and our allies, and the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan who have suffered the most at the hands of violent extremists. We will pursue intensive regional diplomacy, provide more for the civilian aspects of the mission, and fully resource our efforts to train Afghan security forces. -- When North Korea defied the international community with a provocative missile launch in April, the United States and the other members of the UN Security Council unanimously condemned the action and confirmed that it violates international law and would result in real consequences for North Korea. -- Also in April, the President outlined our goal for a nuclear weapons free world and launched a multi-pronged effort to reverse the tide of nuclear proliferation, reinvigorated our international effort on Iran's illicit nuclear program, and revived critical arms control talks with Russia. -- As part of an ambitious American agenda, we have reset our relationship with Russia, promoted a new era of partnership with our hemisphere at the Summit of the Americas, sought to engage adversaries like Cuba and Iran, and begun the process of responsibly ending the war in Iraq. Brief Recap of Major Foreign Policy Developments -- Laid out new agenda for America's foreign policy and consulted with our European allies at the Munich Security Conference, U.S.-European Union Summit, and the NATO Summit, and with our Western hemisphere neighbors at the Summit of the Americas. -- Appointed Special Envoys and Representatives for the Middle East, South West Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sudan, and Climate Change. -- Established a new policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan that focuses our efforts and sets clear objectives to disrupt, dismantle and defeat Al Qaeda with the support of our allies and partners. -- Announced a plan to end the war in Iraq responsibly and on a timeline that assures safety and stability. -- Ordered the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center within one year. -- Banned the enhanced detention techniques that were authorized under the prior administration and made clear that the United States does not torture. -- Rallied the world at the G-20 Summit behind concrete steps to deal with the global financial crisis, including increased assistance for developing nations, and a renewed commitment to free and fair trade. -- Launched a multi-pronged initiative to reverse the tide of nuclear proliferation, reinvigorated our international effort to deal with the threat from Iran's illicit nuclear program and revived critical arms control talks with the Russians. -- Launched new plan to combat drug-related violence along the U.S.-Mexico Border. -- Advanced partnerships in clean energy and climate change, starting with the first preparatory session of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate on April 27-28. STATE 00043083 003 OF 003 -- Rallied our allies and the world community in response to the launching of the North Korean missile launch and piracy off the coast of Somalia. -- Engaged our neighbors in this hemisphere at the Summit of the Americas and launched a new relationship based on mutual respect and shared responsibility, and announced new policy steps towards Cuba. 100 Days By the Numbers (as of 04/23/09) President Obama --Meetings with foreign leaders: 44 --Phone calls to foreign leaders: 56 --Countries visited: 8 --Multilateral Summits attended: 4 --Overseas Press Conferences and availabilities: 11 --Discussions with foreign youth: 2 --Foreign interviews given: 3 Vice President Biden --Countries Visited: 4 --Foreign officials met: 36 --Multilateral meetings or conferences attended: 4 --Phone calls with foreign leaders: 4 --Overseas Press Conferences: 3 Secretary Clinton --Meetings with foreign leaders: More than 150 --Countries Visited: 18 --Traveled more than 60,000 miles on her own (i.e. not counting Presidential trips) --Touched nearly 80 countries, on every continent, by phone call, meeting or travel The entire National Security team has been intensely engaged and as you describe our engagement and foreign policy approach you should include the hard work you do every day as part of this effort. End talking points. ¶5. In closing, the President and the entire Washington foreign policy team recognize that the Administration's quick start would not have been possible without your support and energy. We want you to know that we appreciate that all of you serving abroad do so at significant sacrifice and even peril. Your dedication and service to the nation do us proud. As we visit your countries in support of the work you do to promote our interests, we hope to have the opportunity to thank you in person. ¶6. Minimize considered. CLINTON