LOC23:12
20:12 GMT
WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed Tuesday that "new winds are blowing across the world," and the central question is "Do they signal fair weather or foreshadow a storm? Is this pattern of disruption a force for good or not?"
In remarks to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland via video, Pompeo affirmed "its interesting times that we live in," noting "a few examples of new directions that people have taken: Brexit; the election of President Macron in France; the rise of the Five Star Movement in Italy; Mahathir's comeback in Malaysia; and of course the election of President Donald Trump."
He stressed that "this disruption is a positive development. We are embracing time-tested truths. Truths like this: Nations matter. No international body can stand up for a people as well as their own leaders can. Strong borders are key to strong nations.
"We need all nations to contribute to security imperatives. President Trump also knows that economic security is national security. Robust defenses aren't possible without healthy economies to undergird them," he noted.
Furthermore, the US top diplomat affirmed "we face many new threats, some of them not so new," citing North Korea's nuclear program, "Iran's foreign adventurism," "China's state-centered economic model, its belligerence toward its neighbors, and its embraces of a totalitarian state at home.
"Radical Islamic terrorism remains a persistent threat that we will continue to fight together," he said.
"In all of these areas we're making progress. But none of this progress could have happened without beautiful coalitions in which America has played a central role," he added, and that "it should not go unnoticed that we've also defeated the (IS) caliphate in Syria and Iraq, alongside more than six dozen nations in the Global Coalition to Defeat (IS)."
Trump had canceled the planned US delegation's trip to Davos as a result of the government shutdown that is now in its 32nd day. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was to lead the delegation, which was also to include Pompeo. Trump had also planned to attend but previously canceled his own travel to the event due to the shutdown.
Meanwhile, Pompeo said that he is "very hopeful that we can make progress" in Yemen.
He stressed "it was most unfortunate that the Houthis made a major break on January 10th to that ceasefire by using an Iranian-designed instrument of war to kill people after these agreements were reached back in December in Europe.
"I hope that we can find that path forward. I am hopeful that we can find a path forward there. We are committed in the United States to working with UN Envoy (Martin) Griffiths to achieving that end," he remarked.
On another front, Pompeo was asked if the US and Russia are doomed to Cold War rivalry, where he responded "it's not the case that we are doomed to a Cold War rivalry. These two nations are the two largest possessors of nuclear capability in the world.
"I must say, it's been a struggle. We're looking for Russia to begin to change its behavior, whether that's its behavior in Ukraine or the work that it did to influence elections here in the United States and that it's done to influence elections all across the world. These aren't the behaviors of nations that want to be part of the international community," he stressed.
He voiced hope that Russia will "return to the right course of actions, set a course of actions that lead them down the path of the rule of law and order and liberty. If they do those things, I'm confident that our two nations can prosper and grow alongside of each other.
"We are not destined to be antagonists. We can do better than that, but it will take a Russian change in their outlook and behavior in the world in order to achieve that," he reiterated. (end)
si.bs