U.S. image improves after years of decline: poll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. image abroad has begun to improve after worsening for years, but the United States is still viewed more negatively than the European Union, Brazil, China, India and Russia, said a BBC World Service survey released on Tuesday.

The survey, conducted in 34 countries, found that positive views of U.S. influence have risen by about 4 percentage points over the past year. The average positive rating was 35 percent, versus an average negative rating of 47 percent.

Among countries where the poll has been conducted in four consecutive years, positive views of the United States were expressed by an average 32 percent of the population, versus 28 percent a year ago. The poll listed no margin of error.

U.S. public image plummeted around the world in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Bush administration tried to counter the trend by creating a public diplomacy unit within the State Department.

Pollsters involved in the BBC World Service project said the U.S. presidential elections appeared to be behind the changing views of the United States.

"It may be that as the U.S. approaches a new presidential election, views of the U.S. are being mitigated by hope that a new administration will move away from foreign policies that have been so unpopular in the world," said Steven Kull, director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland.

OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE

Despite the modest improvement for the first time in four years, public opinion of the United States was still overwhelmingly negative. The average negative rating was 47 percent, versus 52 percent a year ago.

By comparison, the European Union had a 52 percent positive rating, Brazil's was 44 percent, China 47 percent, India 42 percent and Russia 35 percent. The United States was viewed more positively than North Korea, but more negatively as well.

U.S. influence in the world was viewed most positively in Kenya, the Philippines, Israel, Nigeria, Ghana, and Central America, where well over 50 percent of those questioned had positive views of the United States.

It had its lowest positive ratings from Mexico, Argentina, Egypt, India and Russia, where fewer than 20 percent of those questioned had a good impression of the United States.

The United States was viewed most negatively by people in Turkey and Egypt, where 73 percent of those polled had bad impressions of U.S. influence. Germany followed at 72 percent, Lebanon at 67 percent, Canada at 62 percent, Australia at 58 percent and Argentina and Mexico at 56 percent.

Iran had the worst rankings of any of the 14 countries asked about in the BBC World Service survey. An average of 20 percent had a positive impression of Iran's influence on the world, while 54 percent had a mostly negative view.

Pollsters said Iran's nuclear enrichment program appeared to be behind the negative ratings. The United States and European countries fear Iran wants to enrich uranium to create nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists its program is for peaceful energy purposes.

"The poll suggests that Iran continues to pay a price for its nuclear standoff with the United Nations," said Doug Miller, president of polling company GlobeScan. "World opinion continues to see it as the country having the most negative influence."

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)