Former Officials Call on Obama to Revive UN Relations

By BARRY SCHWEID / AP WRITER

WASHINGTON — A wide array of former top US officials has urged President-elect Barack Obama to make the United Nations a close partner in confronting global threats and environmental challenges.

Former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Warren Christopher and former Defense Secretaries Harold Brown and William Perry were among the signers of the statement issued on Wednesday by the UN Foundation and the Partnership for a Secure America, a bipartisan foreign-policy advocacy group.

"The next president has a unique opportunity to revitalize the US-UN relationship as a symbol of America's commitment to constructive international cooperation," the statement said.

Specific recommendations to the incoming Obama administration included leading UN efforts to slow the spread of nuclear weapons and technology, counterterrorism and climate change, and involving the UN in stabilizing Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Bush administration, particularly in the war in Iraq, was often accused of ignoring or paying little attention to the UN.

Last month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for greater cooperation from the United States. In a speech, he said that "during the past few years, the relationship has been not desirable."

Brooke Anderson, chief national security spokeswoman for the Obama transition team, said, "We haven't seen this letter yet but look forward to receiving it."

She said Obama spoke Wednesday with Ban and "underscored his view that the UN requires far-reaching reform and that the United States should rededicate itself to the organization and its mission to more effectively address pressing global issues."

Ban received the call just after returning from a trip to Switzerland.

"They discussed how to address current crises, as well as regional and global issues, and how to strengthen the partnership between the US and the UN," according to a statement from UN spokeswoman Michele Montas.

Obama returned calls to Ban and four foreign leaders to express his appreciation for their congratulatory messages after Obama's election victory, the president-elect's transition office said.

During his presidential campaign, Obama said in a statement to the UN Association of the US and the Better World Campaign that "no country has a greater stake in a strong United Nations than the United States."

But there was also criticism in his statement.

Obama said "broken politics" at the UN leaves the world body short of its potential and also of the principles in the UN Charter.

And, Obama said, UN member states acted far too slowly and indecisively to end genocide in the Darfur area of Sudan.