Clinton: Volatility offers risks, rewards

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says global volatility has provided the opportunity for the creation of new partnerships. File photo. UPI/Chris Kleponis/Pool

Published: March. 13, 2012 at 2:44 PM

WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a speech to U.S. diplomats, said global volatility has provided the opportunity for the creation of new partnerships.

Clinton, in remarks Tuesday at the opening session of the Global Chiefs of Mission Conference at the U.S. State Department, highlighted the range and swiftness of political change in the past year.

"We have one more person than we did last year, our ambassador to the newest country, South Sudan," she said. "When we hold this conference in the future, I hope we can count on an ambassador to Burma among our ranks, because I know that we have no status quo in the world today."

Clinton said the United States is affirming its place as a Pacific power and strengthening its alliance with European and NATO partners.

American leadership, she said, is more important than ever, as new powers rise, especially in the Arab world. "It brings new opportunities for partnership as well as growing economic competition and yes, new threats," she said. "Only America has the reach, resources and relationships to anchor a more peaceful and prosperous world."

Although the troops are leaving, Clinton said State Department and United States Agency for International Development employees will still be there on the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"In these front-line states and in all countries facing instability, we put a special focus on protecting universal human rights, ! increasi ng political participation, and enforcing the rule of law. It also puts an extra burden on us to live our values and to, both on the military and civilian side, demonstrate who we are as a people," she said.

Clinton said people who "feel safe and empowered to pursue their legitimate aspirations ... are more likely to reject extremism and to invest in their own societies."

"Human rights and global security are deeply and directly linked," she said. "We cannot sacrifice one without damaging both."

Clinton said she is issuing a policy directive on promoting gender equality to ensure women are integrated in every aspect of diplomatic work."

"Women are often the canary in the coal mine," she said. "When it comes to transitioning to democracy or sustaining democracy, we need to pay attention to whether they're thriving or not, because that's one of the earliest indicators as to whether any society is going to sustain its democratic progress."