02 October 2001
Defense Department Report: Rumsfeld Trip to Middle East, Central Asia
(Will visit Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Uzbekistan) (450)
Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld told reporters October 2 that he is
about to begin a visit to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt and Uzbekistan.
"I have not been able to get to the region since I have become
secretary of Defense this time, and given all the things that are
going on over there, it struck me as a good idea to make a visit. I
hope to get back this weekend," he said following talks at the
Pentagon with India's Minister of External Affairs Jaswant Singh.
Asked why Uzbekistan is included on the trip, Rumsfeld said he had not
met the leadership there, "and it seemed to me that given their
geography and their situation, that having a first face-to-face
meeting with the leadership there would be a useful thing."
Asked if he would also visit Pakistan on the trip, Rumsfeld said "No.
I'll not be visiting Pakistan."
Asked to comment on the tasks of the global anti-terrorist coalition
the administration is putting together, Rumsfeld said "This is not an
effort that will be short. It is not an effort that involves a single
coalition. There will be a variety of opportunities for countries to
work with us in different ways at different times in different parts
of the world, sometimes visibly and sometimes less visibly.
"As I've said before, I think that the kind of information that will
turn the day will be scraps of information that people from all across
the globe will give, sometimes people from inside countries that are
harboring terrorists, sometimes conceivably people from inside
organizations that would like terrorists to leave their country. And
it's that kind of information that will help us over time, ultimately,
to roll up these networks and allow free people to live their lives in
freedom."
Rumsfeld also told reporters that he and India's foreign minister had
"had a very good discussion about his part of the world and the
problems that the United States and those nations that are concerned
about terrorism are wrestling with."
Rumsfeld said he appreciated India's "spontaneous, open" support
offered to the United States immediately after the September 11
attacks. It is something that is appreciated and valued and from which
we are benefiting."
Foreign Minister Singh said "the free world has a challenge that we
face, and the challenge we have to face jointly. And in the facing of
this challenge, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States
of America."
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
