U.S. President Barack Obama says his country desires to see "a new era of engagement" in the world, as it moves towards a state of greater co-operation with its peers on issues of security and prosperity.
"We have sought, in word and deed, a new era of engagement with the world and now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges," Obama said in his first address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday morning.
Obama said that all countries must take responsibility for the problems facing the world, rather than simply laying blame upon others.
"Nothing is easier than blaming others for our troubles and absolving ourselves of responsibility for our choices and our actions. Anybody can do that," he said.
And the U.S. president also said his country's critics cannot justifiably put down America's efforts to intervene in world affairs, while staying out of the fray.
In his address, Obama named "four pillars" that he believes are "fundamental to the future we want for our children." They included the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, the promotion of peace and security, the health of the planet and the presence of a global economy that provides opportunity for all of its participants.
The General Assembly talks began with a call from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, urging nations to work together to confront some of the same crises that Obama touched upon during his own speech.
"Amid many crises -- food, energy, recession and pandemic flu, hitting all at once -- the world looks to us for answers," Ban said in prepared remarks for the opening of the General Assembly's 64th ministerial session.
"If ever there were a time to act in a spirit of renewed multilateralism, a moment to create a United Nations of genuine collective action, it is now."
More than 120 leaders were in attendance for the talks discussing terrorism, the spread of nuclear weapons and the growing poverty stemming from the global financial crisis, among challenges.
Obama was one of several leaders to make a debut at the UN General Assembly on Wednesday. Others included Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Chinese President Hu Jintao and newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
Another event that drew attention in New York Wednesday was the pending address of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Some leaders and delegates, including Canadian representatives and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, planned to boycott the Iranian leader's address.
Canada has an opportunity to address the General Assembly on Friday.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not be addressing the General Assembly as he will be busy attending the upcoming G20 summit in Pittsburgh. Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will handle that address on his behalf.
Climate change summit
On Tuesday, a climate change summit was held in New York that saw the Chinese president pledge that his country would cut its dependence on non-renewable energy and reduce its carbon pollution, while Obama said America remains "determined to act" against the consequences of climate change.
Michael Levi, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said China's president pledged to increase the share of renewable fuels in its energy supply and that his country would reduce its carbon intensity.
But the impact of these proposed changes is unknown, Levi said, because the Chinese president did not provide a lot of specifics on their plans to fight climate change.
"They will aim to reduce their carbon intensity, the amount of carbon that they generate in producing a unit of GDP by a notable margin by 2020," Levi told CTV's Canada AM during an interview from New York on Wednesday morning.
"We have no idea what that number is. This could be a great development, it could be a minor development. His (Hu's) lead climate negotiator has said that details will be forthcoming soon and I expect a lot of people will be waiting for those."
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
