New US ambassador to UN strikes harsh tone

The new US ambassador to the United Nations arrived at the office in New York on Friday and announced that the planet's most powerful country would not hesitate to eschew diplomacy as it navigates a thicket of international issues.

Nikki Haley said Washington's new goal was to show US strength. She said the country would defend its allies but take the names of those which did not back the US.

"Our goal with the administration is to show value at the UN, and the way that we will show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure that our allies have our back as well," she said.

"For those who don't have our backs: We're taking names," Haley said. "We will make points to respond to that accordingly," she added.

Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, arrived at the UN on Friday to present her credentials to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

She told journalists that it was time for "fresh eyes" on the UN. The 45-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants said she was ready to push for an overhaul of the United Nations and indicated there would be cuts. "This is a time of strength. This is a time of action. This is a time of getting things done," Haley said.

"Everything that is working, we are going to make it better. Everything that is not working we are going to try and fix. Everything that seems to be obsolete and not necessary, we're going to do away with," she said.

The United States supplies 22 percent of the UN's operating budget and funds 28 percent of peacekeeping missions, which currently cost $7.8 billion (7.2 billion euros) annually.

bik/jm (AP, AFP)