NPR: Another Official Signals Change in U.S -UK Relationship

Another Official Signals Change in U.S -UK Relationship

Another British cabinet minister is signaling that the country will change the nature of its relationship with the United States under new Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The Daily Telegraph reported during the weekend that Foreign Office Minister Mark Malloch Brown said it was time for a more "impartial" foreign policy, and that it's unlikely the new prime minister and President Bush will be "joined together at the hip."

Malloch Brown indicated that building relations with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as well as with India and China, should be as important as the relationship with the United States.

Malloch Brown's comments came just days after International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander spoke in Washington, where he warned "against unilateralism and called for an 'internationalist approach' to global problems," the BBC reported.

Malloch Brown, the former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, has long been known as a critic of the war in Iraq. His appointment two weeks ago sent off alarm bells among neoconservatives.

The Telegraph reports that his reputation is divided between those who see him "as the great hope for Africa and a principled opponent of the war in Iraq, and those who believe that he is an anti-American egotist who defended Kofi Annan over the oil-for-food scandal."

Malloch Brown says he is not anti-American, but he's happy to be described as anti-neoconservative.

11:22 AM ET | 07-16-2007 | permalink

Comments

An enemy of the neoconservatives is a friend of mine. But seriously, I welcome the new cabinet of our closest ally, perhaps they will provide the catalyst for checks on our foriegn policy.

Sent by E.L. Gulbranson | 11:59 AM ET | 07-16-2007

An enemy of any leftist is a friend of mine.

Now that we have THAT out of the way...
Remove the UN from US SOIL. NOW.

Sent by Nope | 3:14 PM ET | 10-04-2007

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Tom Regan

Blogger

About Us

This year's election cycle has been one of the most exciting in memory. At the NPR News Blog we'll do our best to bring you interesting, informative -- and controversial -- stories from our own reporters and bloggers, as well as the rest of the best of the Internet and blogosphere. And we hope you'll let us know what you think as well.

Want to learn more? Be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions and our discussion guidelines.