Susan Rice, the new U.S. ambassador with Caribbean roots and the first black woman to be approved for the post, presented her credentials to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday.
Rice, 44, avoided controversial hot button issues like detailed comments on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Zimbabwe or the recent fighting between government forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. And the Caribbean region, including Haiti, was not surprisingly, not mentioned at all.
Instead, she identified a few generic issues, telling reporters she will pursue them as her main priorities. These include: `Strengthening the capacity of the organization to engage effectively in complex peace operations at a time when the burdens and challenges placed on the institution are greater than ever; advancing our national and collective agenda to address climate change and the challenges of non-proliferation are two other important objective; and putting the United States at the center of international efforts to support poverty reduction, development, fighting disease and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.`
Asked about Iran`s nuclear program, she said the new administration would pursue vigorous diplomacy that would be both directly with Iran and with the other four permanent members of the Security Council and Germany through the group known as the `P-Five Plus One.`
And turning to Darfur, where hostilities have resumed in the north between rebels and Sudanese Armed Forces, Ambassador Rice said the Obama administration is `very deeply concerned about the ongoing genocide in Darfur.`
`The priority at this point has to be effective protection for civilians,` she said. `And in that regard, our effort and attention will be, and as we discussed this morning with the Secretary-General and colleagues, on effective efforts to support the full and complete deployment of UNAMID so that there is the capacity on the ground to begin to effect that civilian protection.`
She added that the U.S. will `look at what is necessary to deal with any obstruction, continued violence or reprisals that may occur anyway or may emanate as a result of a potential indictment.`
`And we want to be supportive of the Special Envoy’s efforts to negotiate a lasting peace and resolve the underlying political differences,` she said.
Source: Caribworldnews.com
