CATHERINE MacLEOD
The
Herald
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Gordon Brown spelt out his vision for a world order underpinned
by British values, to meet the economic and security challenges
of globalisation, in India yesterday.
Revealing the international priorities of a Brown premiership
likely to begin this summer, the Chancellor argued that global
institutions must be inclusive and open to represent the emerging
world order.
Without sounding like a British bulldog, he nevertheless beat
the drum for Britain, hailing British values as the building blocks
for the new institutions.
continued...
"I see myself as representing Britain and doing my best for
Britain, talking about what is going to bring Britain prosperity
in years to come. Everything is a challenge because there are
new opportunities we can build for our country.
"We can help to build things and shape this new world order
in a way that is good for Britain and British values," he
said.
Earlier, when he and Alistair Darling, the Trade and industry
secretary, visited companies which have invested in Britain and
British companies, Mr Brown trumpeted the strength of the British-Indian
partnership.
Speaking to the Confederation of Indian Industry in Bangalore
on his first visit to the sub-continent, he challenged institutions
to reform to meet the needs of this century.
He pointed out that the institutions had dealt with the demands
of the world during the Cold War, but now needed to change to
meet the demands of the modern world.
He said: "I believe that it is only now, as we see the impact
of globalisation, that we can also imagine the full shape of the
emerging new world order - a new world economic, political and
social order, driven forward not just by considerations of the
balance of military strength and ordinary political power, but
by the seismic shift in social and economic power brought forward
by globalisation."
Making no secret of his wish to let India join the United Nations
Security Council, he said: "My theme today is how co-operating
together and with a plan to reform our international institutions
we can ensure that globalisation works to ensure proserity and
opportunity for not just some of the people, but all of the people."
His agenda is ambitious - he urged reform of the United Nations,
the G8, Nato, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund
and the European Union, which he said must move from looking inward
to outward-looking internationalists in a global Europe.
Acknowledging India's role as the third biggest UN peacekeeping
force, he urged the UN to modernise to become an effective peacemaker
in the modern world.
Aware that India was only slowly opening doors to foreign investors,
he made clear he hoped that Britain and India would continue to
co-operate to their mutual benefit.
"I am sure that India and Britain together - the world's
largest democracy and one of the world's oldest democracies, with
our shared history and culture, and common values of understanding
and tolerance - can, working in unison, play a critical role as
partners in addressing the great challenges of our times."
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