US asks allies for respect
David Teather in New York Wednesday February 13, 2002 The Guardian
The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, told European allies yesterday they should respect the "principled leadership" of the United States, even if they sometimes disagree with it.
Mr Powell, seeking to deflect criticism of the Bush administration's foreign policy, also denied claims of unilateralism and bellicosity within the government.
Concerns among European leaders have been high since President George Bush's state of the union speech last month where he referred to an "axis of evil", encompassing Iraq, Iran and North Korea.
Mr Powell, viewed as one of the more moderate officials in the White House, said: "We have demonstrated that we are anxious to reach out to the world. We are not unilateralists pulling back.
"But where we believe strongly about something and we have to stick by our principles, we will do that, and lead and try to convince others to go with us. Our friends are increasingly coming to the understanding that this is principled leadership, the kind they should respect."
A number of European leaders have warned President Bush in recent weeks of a growing discomfort with US policy. The French foreign minister, Hubert Védrine, accused the White House of a "simplistic" approach.
The German foreign minister, Joschka Fisher, said yesterday: "Alliance partners are not satellites."
The relationship between the US and its allies is being put further under strain by the suggestion that it may try to overthrow president Saddam Hussein of Iraq.
Mr Powell said: "The president does not have before him right now plans for a conflict with anybody."
He said however that force was not ruled out against the so-called "axis of evil".