国际英语新闻：Sarkozy stresses U.S. role in helping stop future world-wide financial crises

NEW YORK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy said here Monday that the world needs "an open America" that will lead the way in helping stop future world-wide financial crises.

In his speech at Columbia University in New York, Sarkozy urged the White House to move forward in demanding new global financial regulations that will hopefully eliminate the threat of future financial meltdowns.

"You should reflect on what it means to be the world's No. 1 power," he said.

"We should invent a new global monetary order," he added, insisting that new regulations would "save capitalism."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers a speech to students at Columbia University in New York

The French leader also told the United States that it needs to pay attention to problems going on outside its borders, saying, " The world does not stop at the East Coast, the world does not stop at the West Coast, the world needs an open America, a generous America, an American that shows the way, an America that listens."

In his speech, Sarkozy strongly condemned the deadly subway bombings in Moscow and said France remains a committed partner with the United States in fighting terrorism.

"When Moscow is attacked, it is all of us who are attacked," he said of the deadly bombings which killed dozens of innocent people.

Speaking of Afghanistan, Sarkozy said that "We will remain at your side."

The French leader highly commended the passage of U.S. health care reform law just signed by U.S. President Barack Obama last week. The law is expected to extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans and aim to crack down on unpopular insurance industry practices such as denying coverage for people with pre- existing medical conditions.

President Obama is hosting Sarkozy at the White House Tuesday.

Sarkozy's two-day trip to New York and Washington follows a rocky period in transatlantic relations when many in Europe felt Obama was overly focused on domestic affairs.

Sarkozy, whose popularity in France has hit record lows as the economy struggles, arrived with a package of issues to discuss, ranging from security to climate change and he would reportedly try to restart a drive for global financial reform.