LONDON, Nov 5: Changes in US foreign policy under Barack Obama will be more presentational than substantial, notably due to budgetary constraints, respected defence analysis group Jane’s said on Wednesday.

The current global economic crisis will reduce the US president-elect’s room for manoeuvre, said Robert Munks, Americas Editor of the London-based group after Obama’s historic victory in the presidential election on Tuesday.

“Despite his accent during the election campaign on delivering change, Obama’s foreign policy in practice is likely to be constrained by the effects of economic downturn and ongoing long-term commitments inherited from the (outgoing President George W.) Bush administration,” he said.

“The major difference from Republican foreign policy is therefore likely to be in presentation rather than substance.”

Obama will address “negative perceptions abroad of the US ‘brand’, placing increased emphasis on multilateralism, using the tools of soft power, and even direct diplomacy with regimes previously held at arm’s length by Bush”. But he added: “On many ‘big ticket’ issues there will be broad continuity, such as drawdown from Iraq, increased engagement in Afghanistan, the containment of Iran’s putative nuclear weapons ambitions and cautious engagement with Beijing based primarily on trade.

“Countries where specific but nuanced policy shifts could be seen include Cuba, Colombia, Pakistan, Russia and Syria, and at the strategic level there is likely to be an increased focus on energy independence and environmental issues as factors affecting national security.”—AFP