Washington -- With more style than substance, President Barack Obama has broken with his predecessor George W. Bush's foreign policy by adopting a humbler tone and reaching out to former foes.

What is clear is that the Obama administration is demonstrating a new openness to use multilateral diplomacy to resolve longstanding problems -- while so far keeping much of Bush's foreign policy intact.

In its first 100 days, the administration has stressed the need to listen to allies and others to solve the global financial crisis and surmount daunting challenges in Afghanistan, Iran, the Middle East and North Korea.

It has also vowed to push the "reset button" in its relations with Russia, which hit a two-decade low during the Bush administration.

In a flurry of trips to Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Obama and his chief diplomat Hillary Clinton have been quick to admit that Washington had made errors and cannot solve problems without help from others.

Such self-criticism has elicited praise from those abroad who recall an "arrogant" Bush dictating terms, but has drawn fire from those at home who accuse them of "running down" America.

In just three months, they have also taken small steps to engage diplomatically with foes like Iran, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela -- countries the Bush administration had long sought to punish and isolate.

And in a signal they are bringing a sharper focus to key trouble spots, Obama and Clinton have appointed special envoys for the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North Korea, Eurasian energy issues and climate change.

Bush was disinclined to use such envoys.

In his first days in office, Obama ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison within a year and banned torture in a dramatic repudiation of Bush's anti-terror policies.

In another break with the Bush era, the Obama administration announced it will seek a seat this year on the UN Human Rights Council in keeping with what it hailed as a "new era of engagement."