WASHINGTON, United States— US President. Joe Biden emphasized on his speech on Tuesday that the military engagement in Afghanistan will open a new chapter of “intensive diplomacy,” a senior administration official stated.
Amid the questions on how Biden handled the US troops fallback from Afghanistan and a submarine deal with Australia that has enraged France, the US president left the White House on Monday afternoon to go on a journey to New York to kickoff a week-long activity that will be overwhelmed with foreign policy.
On Monday afternoon, Biden met with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to deliver his first speech as the president of the UN General Assembly at mid-morning on Tuesday, met Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in New York, then returned to Washington to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
According to the senior official, Biden wants to have a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron to talk about France being enraged by a deal where Washington will deliver advanced technology to Australia for nuclear-powered submarines.
The deal was made to extend help to Australia to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region, but it subverted France’s deal to supply Australia with diesel-powered submarines, where France felt it was stabbed in the back by the agreement.
Despite criticism, Biden’s speech will shed light regarding the withdrawal of US troops last August from Afghanistan saying it was in chaos and unplanned, where some US citizens and Afghan allies had left behind which could face Talibans’ redress, who now dominate the country.
“The president will essentially drive home the message that ending the war in Afghanistan closed a chapter focused on war and opens a chapter focused on … purposeful, effective, intensive American diplomacy,” the official stated.
According to the official, Biden’s meeting aims to send the message that this is the time of “vigorous competition with great powers, but not a new Cold War.”
The official added that Biden will talk about US commitments on climate change and COVID-19 vaccine donations.
“President Biden will communicate tomorrow that he does not believe in the notion of a new Cold War with the world divided into blocs. He believes in vigorous, intensive, principled competition that does not tip over into conflict,” the official mentioned.
(PHOTO CREDIT: ft.com)