Washington - As the new chairman of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, Mr Joseph Biden brings nearly 30 years of Senate experience to the position.
The 58-year-year Democratic senator from Delaware takes over the chair from the conservative North Carolina Republican Mr Jesse Helms. Mr Biden said his aim would be to back the position of the Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, on North Korea, Taiwan and the Balkans.
His chairmanship of the committee follows the decision last week by the Republican senator Mr James Jeffords to become an independent, giving control of the Senate to the Democrats along with some committees.