Munich - US Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday promised greater cooperation with European allies on security issues, but only in exchange for greater European contributions to fighting global security threats.

Biden's speech before the Munich Security Conference, billed as the new US administration's first glimpse of an overarching security and defence policy, presented a laundry list of US priorities around the world, combined with a promise of greater US humility in addressing those issues.

"I come to Europe on behalf of the new administration ... determined to set a new tone not just in Washington, but in America's relations around the world.

"America will do more," he said. "The bad news is that America will ask for more from our partners as well.

"No single country, no matter how powerful, can make these threats alone. We do not believe these alliances diminish American power," continued Biden. "So we'll engage. We'll listen. We'll consult. America needs the world just as, I believe, the world needs America."

Among the areas where Biden said the United States will need help from Europe and the rest of the world are work to enforce a peaceful, two-state solution in the Middle East and continuing efforts to support the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

And he hinted that the United States will still retain the right to strike out on its own when circumstances warrant. "We'll work in a partnership whenever we can," he said.

But, Biden also offered a host of crowd-pleasers in exchange for the anticipated European cooperation. He vowed that America will no longer torture prisoners and reaffirmed US commitment to closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, while also calling on European countries to be prepared to take in some of the released inmates.

He also vowed that the United States will stay in close contact with Russia on the topic of missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic, a policy pursued by former President George W Bush that was met with sabre-rattling by Russia.

And, a day after the after the speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani, expressed scepticism about Obama's promise to engage in diplomacy with Iran, Biden left no doubt that the US administration is willing to engage in talks with Iran about its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

"We will extend hand to those who unclench their fist," he said. "We will be willing to talk. We will be willing to talk to Iran and offer a clear choice. Continue down the current course and there will be continued pressure and isolation."

But the brunt of Biden's speech focused on the desire for Obama's administration to back away from some of the more confrontational aspects of Bush's foreign policy

"Our administration does not believe in a clash of civilizations. There is nothing inevitable about that," said Biden.

And, by underlining the administration's policies on Guantanamo and an end to torture, he refuted the previous administration's arguments that some freedoms must be curtailed in the name of US efforts to curb the threat of terrorism.

"The principle is there is no conflict between our security and our ideals," he said. We believe they are mutually reinforceable." (dpa)