08 February 2002
Transcript: Adm. Blair Lauds U.S.-Korean Anti-terrorism Cooperation
(February 7 remarks to Korean American Association, Seoul) (2010)
The commander-in-chief of U.S. forces in the Pacific (CINCPAC) lauded
South Korea's cooperation in the war against terrorism during a speech
delivered February 7 to the Korean American Association in Seoul.
"Korea's response to the war on terrorism has been wide, with Korean
ships sailing as far as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, and Korean
aircraft supporting the United States throughout the Western Pacific,"
Admiral Dennis C. Blair said.
The Republic of Korea's anti-terrorism response, Blair said, is part
of an important trend among Koreans to take a "wider regional view."
For many years, he said, "the Korean armed forces were focused
strictly on the Peninsula, but in recent years there have been
regional responses."
The key to victory against terrorism "is sustained unprecedented
relentless cooperative effort among like-minded countries in the
region against the common threat," he said. "Such cooperation is
happening, and is increasing."
The admiral noted the arrests of terrorists in Singapore, Malaysia and
the Philippines, which he credited to both "good intelligence and law
enforcement work by the countries concerned" and to "exchanges of
intelligence and coordination of actions by the governments
concerned."
Blair said that there has been "a strong positive trend in the
relationship between the armed forces of Korea and the United States,
and in the development of Korea itself."
Blair said he is optimistic about the future of the military
relationship between the United States and Korea. "It has stood the
test of time and crisis; it is based not simply on a common threat but
on common values," he said.
Regarding the Philippines, Blair emphasized that the United States is
providing -- at the request of the Philippine government -- a
temporary team of U.S. advisors to train and equip the Philippine
military in their fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a criminal
organization in the southern Philippines that has links to al Qaeda.
"The United States does not seek and will not establish permanent
bases," Blair said. "American forces will not engage the ASG directly,
but will be supporting the Philippine commanders and their forces," he
said.
Following is the CINCPAC transcript of Blair's remarks:
(begin transcript)
UNITED STATES PACIFIC COMMAND
TRANSCRIPT
Adm. Dennis C. Blair
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command
Remarks to Korean American Association
American Chamber of Commerce, Republic of Korea
Seoul, Republic of Korea
February 7, 2002
Admiral Blair: AHN-young hah-SAY-oh. (Peaceful greetings)
Chairman Koo, Mr. Jones, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen of
the Korean American Association and the American Chamber of Commerce.
Pleasure to be here with you this morning -- Bahn-gahp soom-nee-DAH. I
always enjoy coming to the Land of the Morning Calm. Both your
organizations have been doing great things for the Republic of Korea
and the United States since 1963 and 1953, I believe. I visit many
American Chambers of Commerce, had the pleasure of attending one of
your formal events several years ago. This is group has the most
energy of any I have visited.
This is certainly an exciting time for Korea, with the World Cup in
June; the Asian Games in October.
It is an important time with your local, National Assembly, and
Presidential elections from June to the end of the year; and a visit
by President Bush later this month.
Also an important time for the United States, with the campaign
against terrorism.
I will address the war on terrorism, but first I want to look back
over my three years as CINCPAC, especially developments with Korea.
From my point of view, the last three years have seen a strong
positive trend in the relationship between the armed forces of Korea
and the United States, and in the development of Korea itself.
In my early months on the job, along with General Tilelli and General
Schwartz, and our Korean partners, we dealt with spy submarines in the
East Sea, Crab Wars in the West Sea.
In recent months there have been no such provocations. True, the high
hopes which followed the 2000 historic visit of President Kim to North
Korea have not resulted in reconciliation yet, but there has been more
dialog, fewer military confrontations, and the situation is
fundamentally less dangerous than it was three years ago.
The United States and the Republic of Korea have renegotiated
important and difficult agreements governing our military
relationship:
-- The Status of Forces Agreement
-- The Missile Technology Control Regime
-- The Special Measures Agreement
The Nogun Ri incident was investigated to the satisfaction of both our
governments.
So from my point of view, there has been steady progress in our
military relationship, and our relationship is even stronger now than
it was three years ago.
Let me address the war on international terrorism. The early focus of
the campaign has been military operations in Afghanistan, but there
was active participation involving the Asia-Pacific region.
All governments condemned the attack -- the government of Korea, which
also lost citizens in the World Trade Center, was among the first --
and supported actions to prevent terrorism from striking in the
future.
Pacific Command forces, including the USS Kitty Hawk battlegroup from
here in the Western Pacific, deployed to the North Arabian Sea and
conducted combat operations.
US forces deployed rapidly across the Pacific from the United States.
Countries along the route including the Philippines, Vietnam,
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, granted prompt overflight
permission, and other en route support.
Australia invoked the Mutual Defense Treaty and sent ground, sea and
air forces to fight in Afghanistan. New Zealand and Canada sent small
numbers of troops and ships.
Following historic legislation passed by the Diet, Japanese ships
deployed to the North Arabian Sea, where they are providing fuel to US
ships and assisting with area surveillance.
Korea immediately and effectively intensified the security protection
for all US bases and other Americans here on the Peninsula,
A liaison team deployed quickly to my headquarters in Hawaii for
consultations on what was needed for the campaign, and soon Korea
provided C-130 aircraft and shipping to support US operations in the
War on Terrorism. This assistance has been both symbolically important
and important to our operations.
Here in the Pacific the campaign against terrorism has also started.
Before the 11th of September the United States and other countries
were not blind to terrorism, but our approach was essentially
defensive -- to protect ourselves against terrorist acts, and if they
occurred, to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators.
Since then the countries in the region have gone onto the offensive.
Our objective is to identify and root out terrorists and their support
in the Asia-Pacific region, and to make it an inhospitable region for
terrorists from outside this region who may be looking for new homes.
There are no Afghanistans here in the Pacific -- countries which
harbor and support terrorist organizations. North Korea is a special
case, as our President has stated.
The key to victory is sustained unprecedented relentless cooperative
effort among like-minded countries in the region against the common
threat.
Such cooperation is happening, and is increasing. There have been
early successes. You have read of the discovery and arrests of
terrorists in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, terrorists who
had traveled back and forth to Afghanistan, and who were working on
plans to attack American ships and embassies, and other targets here
in Asia. These arrests were due not simply to good intelligence and
law enforcement work by the countries concerned, but to exchanges of
intelligence and coordination of actions by the governments concerned.
The United States is providing military and other assistance to the
Philippines against the Abu Sayyaf group, a criminal organization in
the southern Philippines which has links to al Qaeda and which has
taken American, Japanese, Malaysian, European and Philippine hostages.
The assistance will be provided by a temporary team of US advisors
providing, training, equipment, intelligence, maintenance support The
United States does not seek and will not establish permanent bases.
American forces will not engage the ASG directly, but will be
supporting the Philippine commanders and their forces.
As President Arroyo has emphasized, defeating terrorism in the
Philippines requires both a war on terrorism and a war on poverty, and
the Philippine plan includes both parts. Just this short summary of
actions underway against terrorism illustrates the complexity and
difficulty of the campaign. The terrorists have advantages of small
size, international mobility, secrecy and flexibility. They can take
advantage of the freedoms of our citizens, and areas of the region
where the control of governments is weak. The key to their defeat is
key is hard to accomplish, but it is very simple in concept --
relentless pressure against terrorists and their support conducted
with an unprecedented degree of international cooperation.
Let me conclude my remarks with some observations about the future of
the military relationship between the Republic of Korea and the United
States.
I stated in the beginning that I have seen steady progress in the
military relationship over the last three years -- I see that progress
continuing and strengthening.
One program that will have a very important and positive effect is the
Land Partnership Plan.
The U.S. will return almost 40 million pyong, over 30,000 acres, worth
1.3 trillion won, or 1.1 billion dollars, to Korea during the next 10
years.
This will infuse additional money into the Korean economy as
contractors and builders execute the construction projects and provide
business opportunities for redeveloping closing camps. As adequate
housing becomes available, the morale of U.S. service members and the
desire to come to Korea will also increase.
And with U.S. Forces Korea's troop strength remaining the same, simply
being consolidated onto the enduring installations that will be
modernized, readiness will actually improve. This is a plan with
foresight, acting now to posture ourselves for the future -- with more
control and flexibility, but less encroachment on the people of Korea,
and more opportunities for new businesses.
A second important trend which will continue and intensify is the
wider regional view taken by the Republic of Korea. For many years the
Korean armed forces were focused strictly on the Peninsula, but in
recent years there have been regional responses.
In East Timor, Korea deployed forces under the UN charter, forces
which have done a very fine job in bringing peace to that small
nation.
Korea's response to the war on terrorism has been wide, with Korean
ships sailing as far as Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, and Korean
aircraft supporting the United States throughout the Western Pacific.
A Korean general officer now commands UN forces in Cyprus.
Korean officers have been strong and welcome participants in
multilateral conferences and seminars on regional topics, including
Korea hosting recently a conference of staff officers of some 20
countries, UN representatives and non-governmental organizations on
humanitarian assistance operations.
And finally, the government of Korea has been absolutely clear that in
all the changing security relations that the future may bring, it is
important that the alliance with the United States remain strong and
vibrant and that US forces remain forward deployed in Korea.
So I am optimistic about the future of the US-Korea military
relationship. It has stood the test of time and crisis; it is based
not simply on a common threat but on common values; it is based on
years of planning together, training together and dealing with crises
together. It now faces new threats -- global terrorism and weapons of
mass destruction. It has new opportunities -- continued reconciliation
with North Korea, new regional security relationships. I am confident
that it will meet those threats, take advantage of those
opportunities, and continue to benefit the citizens of both our
countries.
Let me now take your questions. Kahm-SAH hahm-nee-DAH (thank you).
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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