Brown: Do not let history escape us
Gordon Brown speaks with UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon in New York
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Friday, 26, Sep 2008 05:05
Gordon Brown has urged world leaders to ensure history records their response to the world's first global crisis was the correct one.
The prime minister, with reference to the turmoil afflicting markets across the globe, told the United Nations of his vision of an end to the "age of financial irresponsibility".
Mr Brown is now due to fly from New York to Washington to meet with president George Bush to convince him of the need for further international market oversight.
The US is currently in spasms of uncertainty over Mr Bush's $700 billion (£377 billion) injection to avoid economic collapse.
Mr Brown told the UN assembly the world had entered a period of "global turbulence", and that leaders had to "build a new financial order".
In an impassioned speech, Mr Brown said: "For the first time in human history we have the opportunity to come together to create a new global covenant and a true global society.
"Our history is not our destiny. It is what we choose to make it," he continued.
"Let history record ours was a true global response to the world first global crisis."
Mr Brown tied countries' commitment to the Millennium Development Goals to the current crisis, and called for international efforts against poverty and climate change to form part of the UN's response to the current economic chaos.
The prime minister has relied on his ability to create lasting change out of the current chaos as a lifesaver from his political problems at home.
He used his Labour conference speech earlier this week to promise a new settlement following weeks of financial uncertainty. He has promised action on City bonuses, transparency and financial regulation.