11.24.2008

AP: Obama seeks reforms in talk with UN chief

President-elect Barack Obama is urging the United Nations chief to embark on "far-reaching reform" of the world organization to help it address pressing global issues.

At the same time, in a telephone conversation Wednesday, Obama told Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon that the United States "should rededicate itself to the organization and to its mission," said Brook Anderson, chief national security spokeswoman for the Obama transition team.

Last month, Ban called for greater cooperation from the United States.

During his presidential campaign, Obama said in a statement to the U.N. Association of the U.S. and the Better World Campaign that "no country has a greater stake in a strong United Nations than the United States."
Read the full AP article here.

More on Barack Obama and the United Nations

UNA-USA President Ambassador Bill Luers and thirty-six prominent policy figures urge the president-elect to revitalize the US relationship with the UN.  Read the statement here.

In “A Memo to the President-Elect” (.pdf) Ambassador Bill Luers lays out a broad agenda for the new administration’s engagement in the United Nations.

View President-elect Obama's letter to UNA Board member Josh Weston here. (.pdf)

Obama’s Win Could Mean Stronger UN-US Rapport
by Barbara Crossette

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