WASHINGTON, ETAS-UNIS: « De bons rapports avec les États-Unis sont essentiels à la bonne marche de l’ONU », a observé Noel Brown, président des Amis des Nations unies, dans son allocution d’ouverture du Symposium international sur les États-Unis et les Nations unies, le 23 octobre 2007, veille de la Journée des Nations unies.

Schieck discusses key features of the Compact for Global Development and the Millennium Challenge Account launched by President Bush in 2002. He states that these initiatives represent “an opportunity for the US development community, public and private, to focus on performance as the base on which assistance programs are built.”

Crowley highlights US contributions to the UN’s work in the areas of peacekeeping, economic development, and in “ensuring accountability and promoting international justice.” He also lists reasons why the Bush administration’s decision to “remove the United States’ signature from the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court … undermines the United States’ credibility as a nation that stands up for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law.”

Bartram argues that the International Criminal Court (ICC) “Is a deeply flawed institution, in both its conception and realization.” He states does” not represent American values”; lacks “any semblance of democratic legitimacy”; “is subject to misuse”;and “has introduced a new and dangerous element in the international arena.” He says that “if the court attempts to assert a global reach, affecting the nationals of non-signatories, then the United States should do everything in its power to oppose the court.”

Enkhsaikhan acknowledges that the ICC is not a perfect instrument and lists several missing elements which are important to small states: the “crime of aggression” to which smaller states are more subject; the lack of coverage for nuclear, biological or chemical weapons; and “the exclusion of environmental crimes.” However, he concludes that it is “better if, even with its weaknesses, the International Criminal Court should be established“ and contends “most of the apprehensions or concerns of the United States have been taken into account.”

Luck locates U.S. ambivalence toward the UN in American political culture, specifically “a skepticism of government,” a “a strong sense of independence and a real sense of distrust of other countries,” discomfort with “multilateral organizations that have rules based on sovereign equality and one nation, one vote,” and the tradition of separation of powers. He notes the “fundamental political divide” between “internationalists” and “skeptics” on the American scene but emphasizes the importance of getting beyond caricatures and being pragmatic in finding opportunities for interacting constructively with the UN.