UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the United States not to turn its back on multilateralism or ignore civil liberties in combating the deadly threat of global terrorism.
Annan said the Bush administration would get more support, such for its activities in Iraq and elsewhere if it built alliances patiently.
"I sense a widespread international acceptance of American leadership," he said on Tuesday, according to remarks prepared for a speech in Los Angeles for the 50th anniversary of the World Affairs Council.
"But I also sense that its leadership will be more admired than resented, and indeed that it will be most effective, when it is exercised within a multilateral framework, when it is based on dialogue and the patient building of alliances through diplomacy, and when it is aimed at strengthening the rule of law in international affairs," Annan said.
The Bush administration has been has been criticised by allies for its rejection of the Kyoto global climate treaty, the International Criminal Court and the lack of a legal framework for suspects held in Guantanamo Bay, among other issues.
Tracing the key U.S. role in founding the United Nations 58 years ago, Annan said that the world had rarely been more united than in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
At that time, he said, nearly all governments understood that the best way -- and perhaps the only way -- was to confront terrorism through collective action.
"But how long ago that moment of unity now seems," Annan said. Today, he said, there were new divisions, disputes between those in favour and those against the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq as well as "misunderstandings" between the Islamic world and the West.
Amidst such acrimony the relevance and the importance of the United Nations has been called into question, he said.
"Yet to my mind, recent events have only underlined the need for the United Nations," he said. "Collective action is needed to stem the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to rebuild shattered societies."
Annan warned that the dangers of extremism after September 11 should not be used as an excuse to suppress "long-cherished" freedoms.
"We saw the dangers of a world threatened by violent extremists who are difficult to detect or deter," he said.
"But we also saw other dangers. We were concerned that borders would close; that people would again regard those of different faith or culture as potential enemies ... and that measures taken in self-defence might eventually lead, directly or indirectly, to even more destruction," Annan said.