Today, let me put forward four pillars that I believe are fundamental to the future that we want for our children: non-proliferation and disarmament; the promotion of peace and security; the preservation of our planet; and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people.
First, we must stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and seek the goal of a world without them.
This institution was founded at the dawn of the atomic age, in part because man's capacity to kill had to be contained.
For decades, we averted disaster, even under the shadow of a superpower stand-off.
But today, the threat of proliferation is growing in scope and complexity. If we fail to act, we will invite nuclear arms races in every region, and the prospect of wars and acts of terror on a scale that we can hardly imagine.
A fragile consensus stands in the way of this frightening outcome, and that is the basic bargain that shapes the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
It says that all nations have the right to peaceful nuclear energy; that nations with nuclear weapons have a responsibility to move toward disarmament; and those without them have the responsibility to forsake them.
The next 12 months could be pivotal in determining whether this compact will be strengthened or will slowly dissolve.
I will also host a summit next April that reaffirms each nation's responsibility to secure nuclear material on its territory, and to help those who can't - because we must never allow a single nuclear device to fall into the hands of a violent extremist.
And we will work to strengthen the institutions and initiatives that combat nuclear smuggling and theft.
All of this must support efforts to strengthen the NPT. Those nations that refuse to live up to their obligations must face consequences.
Let me be clear, this is not about singling out individual nations - it is about standing up for the rights of all nations that do live up to their responsibilities. Because a world in which IAEA inspections are avoided and the United Nation's demands are ignored will leave all people less safe, and all nations less secure.
That brings me to the second pillar for our future: the pursuit of peace.
Our efforts to promote peace, however, cannot be limited to defeating violent extremists. For the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is the hope of human beings - the belief that the future belongs to those who would build and not destroy; the confidence that conflicts can end and a new day can begin.
And that is why we will support - we will strengthen our support for effective peacekeeping, while energizing our efforts to prevent conflicts before they take hold.
We will pursue a lasting peace in Sudan through support for the people of Darfur and the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, so that we secure the peace that the Sudanese people deserve.
And in countries ravaged by violence - from Haiti to Congo to East Timor - we will work with the UN and other partners to support an enduring peace.
I will also continue to seek a just and lasting peace between Israel, Palestine, and the Arab world.
We will continue to work on that issue, I had a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas. But more progress is needed.
As we pursue this goal, we will also pursue peace between Israel and Lebanon, Israel and Syria, and a broader peace between Israel and its many neighbors.
In pursuit of that goal, we will develop regional initiatives with multilateral participation, alongside bilateral negotiations.
Third, we must recognize that in the 21st century, there will be no peace unless we take responsibility for the preservation of our planet. The danger posed by climate change cannot be denied.
Our responsibility to meet it must not be deferred. If we continue down our current course, every member of this Assembly will see irreversible changes within their borders.
Our efforts to end conflicts will be eclipsed by wars over refugees and resources. Development will be devastated by drought and famine. Land that human beings have lived on for millennia will disappear.
Future generations will look back and wonder why we refused to act; why we failed to pass on - why we failed to pass on an envi-ronment that was worthy of our inheritance.
And that is why the days when America dragged its feet on this issue are over.
We will move forward with investments to transform our energy economy, while providing incentives to make clean energy the profitable kind of energy.
We will press ahead with deep cuts in emissions to reach the goals that we set for 2020, and eventually 2050.
We will continue to promote renewable energy and efficiency, and share new technologies with countries around the world.
And we will seize every opportunity for progress to address this threat in a cooperative effort with the entire world.
The above article is an excerpt of remarks by the US President Barack Obama to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23. The complete text is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-United-Nations-General-Assembly/
