Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Olympics, coping with Russia and China and the disaster in Tigray
United Nations – U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield will board a aircraft on Friday for Tokyo to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympics, desperate to congratulate U.S. athletes and to satisfy with the Refugee Olympic Crew.
In an unique interview with CBS Information’ Pamela Falk for CBS Information Radio, Thomas-Greenfield stated the video games may help construct higher relations amongst international locations and stated it is vital to help athletes like Simone Biles in a compassionate and delicate method.
She additionally stated she is “very fearful” concerning the humanitarian disaster in Tigray, in northern Ethiopia. “We’re involved that the battle there may be not getting any higher, and that the state of affairs on the bottom is just not enhancing,” she stated.
On adversarial relations with Russia and China, she stated: “On the United Nations, what issues is that the U.S. voice is obvious, and it is clear to the Chinese language, it is clear to the Russians, however it’s additionally clear to our allies that they will rely upon the USA to be a trusted ally.”
Under are transcribed excerpts from her interview with CBS Information:
Pamela Falk: I noticed an interview with a South Sudanese member of the first-ever 2016 Refugee Crew [Pur Biel, now a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN refugee agency]. He stated, it is vital in sports activities to construct bridges. Is sports activities an incredible equalizer? Inform us about it.
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield: Think about you are having younger folks from everywhere in the world come collectively in a single place, meet one another, compete, after which applaud one another’s victory.
It would not get any higher than that, and I do see them as diplomats. I do see this as a diplomatic discussion board, and I do see it contributing to constructing higher relations with international locations world wide.
So, I feel it is an incredible alternative, and I definitely sit up for assembly these younger folks, these true diplomats which might be on the market spreading goodwill and spreading love.
Some U.S. sports activities had only a few Black athletes – for instance, swimming. Is the shortage of variety in some sports activities, even with the U.S. crew, a legacy of racism?
No, I will not say that. There’s some sports activities that do not appeal to people. I am going to let you know that, , I do not know how you can swim. I by no means realized to swim for a lot of completely different causes.
However I do suppose it’s altering. We noticed an awfully gifted younger African American lady who competed in swimming. I do not keep in mind the place she got here out, however she was very, very aggressive. We’re seeing African People take part in sports activities like fencing… so I feel many of those alternatives are opening up.
Did you ever have an Olympic dream, and in that case, in what sport? What do you watch essentially the most within the Olympics?
I like to look at tennis and I like to look at the sprinting. Each my daughter and son, once they have been in highschool, they have been sprinters. So I’ve at all times cherished watching sprinters. I stroll, I ought to say, it isn’t aggressive, however I do not suppose anyone can compete with me on strolling. Possibly in the event that they began Olympics for over 60, I might be part of, and I do know that I might win.
Many athletes have suffered lately. Michael Phelps has proposed psychological well being counseling, Simone Biles dropped out to take care of her points. Are we, as a world, pushing our younger of us too onerous to excel and search the rewards?
You realize, I’ve been so pleased with these younger individuals who have been prepared to deal with these points in such a public method. And I have been pleased with the response of their followers. So this simply exhibits once more that, we as a rustic and folks extra broadly, can tackle tough points in a compassionate, and a delicate method, and I feel they — Simone and others — are actually an instance for younger folks, and we needs to be supportive of them and encourage them of their efforts to deal with these points.
They’re public. Most individuals do not should take care of these points in such a public method however they’ve completed it with such aplomb, and in a method that I feel makes all of us proud.
Can I flip to COVID-19 worldwide? You are heading to Thailand. COVID is surging in Asia, [Southeast Asian] international locations are a precedence for U.S. overseas coverage — inform us, what is the message in Asia? Why is the Biden administration specializing in Asia proper now?
Nicely, I imply by way of COVID, the main focus is similar. President Biden has made clear our dedication to be, as he described it, an “arsenal for vaccines,” and our work to extend vaccine provide throughout the globe is guided by three rules.
We’re donating vaccines to the world as a result of we all know that we can’t tackle this pandemic alone. We’re scaling up manufacturing for the world. We’re working with U.S. producers to make sure that we are able to get extra out. And once more, this isn’t a problem that one nation alone can sort out. And if we do not succeed and are available collectively to finish the pandemic, nothing else issues. So that is the message that I can be delivering in Asia, however it’s the identical message that we’re delivering in Africa, and in Latin America, in the USA as effectively.
You push again towards Russia and China on the U.N. We have heard the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, additionally pushing again. Is the U.N. the most effective place, as a result of you could have a bully pulpit of types to push again on Russia and China?
I see the U.N. as being a spot the place we are able to discover widespread floor. And so, in areas the place we are able to cooperate with one another, we cooperate with one another. In areas the place we now have variations, we tackle these variations in fairly a public method and we tackle them from a place of energy.
And in areas the place we now have an adversarial relationship, we’re prepared to take care of that as effectively, however finally right here on the United Nations, what issues is that the U.S. voice is obvious, and it is clear to the Chinese language, it is clear to the Russians, however it’s additionally clear to our allies that they will rely upon the USA to be a trusted ally, and that we’re right here to help each our allies and our associates, however we’re additionally right here to advertise U.S. pursuits to the good thing about the American folks.
And that is true diplomacy and navy energy, carrot and stick?
Navy energy is just not promoted right here in New York. What we’re selling right here in New York is diplomacy. And diplomacy could be each a carrot and a stick. We are able to both work with you, and work on widespread points, or we are able to work in a method that doesn’t present a relationship that may be useful to each side, so we, as a diplomatic voice, our voice may be very highly effective right here.
And, lastly, I can not depart this with out discussing Tigray. In 2013, August — precisely eight years in the past — President Obama appointed you because the 18th Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. As we speak, you sit on the White Home Cupboard desk. Is there any technique to assure civilian security in Tigray?
I’m very fearful concerning the state of affairs in Tigray. We heard yesterday that the federal government suspended two very well-established worldwide humanitarian organizations, which implies that people who find themselves in want of humanitarian help is not going to have their wants met.
We’re involved that the battle there may be not getting any higher, and that the state of affairs on the bottom is just not enhancing, and so we intend to proceed to press these points right here on the Safety Council, but in addition by our Particular Envoy, and our Embassy in Ethiopia to encourage each side to within the battle and discover a method ahead for dialogue.
