Hard-headed internationalism is Britain’s foreign policy: Cameron

LONDON - Britain’s foreign policy is “one of hard-headed internationalism”, Prime Minister David Cameron has said, adding: “It will focus like a laser on defending and advancing Britains national interest.”

In the prime ministers annual foreign policy speech here Monday, Cameron said that dealing with the budget deficit was vital to ensure that the country carries its weight in the world.

Rejecting the theory that Britains influence is on decline, he stressed that it remains a great economic power and its political and military assets continue to make it a major player on the international stage, a press communique said.

Cameron said: What I have seen in my first six months as prime minister is a Britain at the centre of all the big discussions. So I reject the thesis of decline. I firmly believe that this open, networked world plays to Britains strengths.

Describing the future direction of foreign policy, he said: …Our foreign policy is one of hard-headed internationalism. More commercial in enabling Britain to earn its way in the world once again, more strategic in its focus on meeting the new and emerging threats to our national security, and firmly committed to upholding our values and defending Britains moral authority even in the most difficult of circumstances.”

Above all, our foreign policy is more hard-headed in this respect: it will focus like a laser on defending and advancing Britains national interest, he added.