DATE=9/9/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON - APEC PREVIEW (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253664
BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// eds: Clinton departs Andrews AFB 9:25pm EDT
Thursday; arrives Auckland 5:40pm EDT Friday //
INTRO: President Clinton leaves Thursday night for
(is on his way to) New Zealand to attend the Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Auckland. His
first order of business will be a meeting with Chinese
President Jiang Zemin to try repair relations that
were frayed by NATO's bombing of the Chinese Embassy
in Belgrade earlier this year. Correspondent Deborah
Tate reports from the White House.
Text: The meeting between the two presidents will be
the first since the embassy bombing in May - an
incident that plunged U-S - Chinese ties to a new low.
Many Chinese reject the U-S explanation that the
strike was the result of a tragic mistake based on
faulty intelligence.
The bombing had come amid already deteriorating
relations - with the United States concerned about
China's human rights record and its alleged nuclear
espionage. Washington is also troubled by China's
threats to use force against Taiwan, which Beijing
considers a renegade province.
U-S National Security Advisor Sandy Berger says the
Clinton-Jiang meeting Saturday will be an opportunity
to put relations back on track.
// BERGER ACTUALITY //
We will seek in that meeting to restore momentum
to our relationship, to urge an easing of
tensions between China and Taiwan.
// END ACT //
U-S officials also hope the meeting will lead to a
resumption in talks on China's entry into the World
Trade Organization. The negotiations broke off after
the embassy bombing in Belgrade.
Gene Sperling is chairman of the White House National
Economic Council:
// SPERLING ACTUALITY //
While it is certainly too early to predict any
outcomes, it is certainly our hope that the
bilateral between President Clinton and
President Jiang will lead to a resumption of
momentum for a commercially viable WTO agreement
with China.
// END ACT //
While in Auckland, Mr. Clinton will also meet jointly
with South Korea's President Kim Dae Jung and Japanese
Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi to focus on concerns that
North Korea may be preparing to test a long-range
ballistic missile.
In addition, the U.S. President will meet with Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to discuss recent
allegations of Russian corruption, and to review this
week's U-S - Russian talks on arms control.
On Sunday, Mr. Clinton will join other APEC leaders
for the opening of the summit, which is expected to be
dominated by the turmoil in East Timor and prospects
for international intervention.
Mr. Clinton's five-day trip to New Zealand includes a
stop in Queenstown for some relaxation and then a
visit to Christchurch, where he will deliver a speech
on the environment, and meet with New Zealand Prime
Minister Jenny Shipley and opposition leader Helen
Clarke. (Signed)
NEB/DAT/JO
09-Sep-1999 15:29 PM EDT (09-Sep-1999 1929 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
