24 April 2003
Secretary Powell Praises Asian Support for Operation Iraqi Freedom
(Powell remarks to U.S. Asia Pacific Council Symposium April 24) (530) By Kristofer Angle Washington File United Nations Correspondent Washington - Asian nations have made valuable contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom, says Secretary of State Colin Powell. At the United States Asia Pacific Council Symposium in Washington, D.C. April 24, Powell specifically thanked Australia for deploying additional troops for coalition efforts, South Korea and Japan for providing medical and financial support, and the Philippines for diplomatic support for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The trans-Pacific partnerships that have kept the peace in the Pacific region, Powell said, "are now crucial to keeping the peace worldwide." "Strong partnerships between the United States and our allies and friends in the Asia Pacific region have been and remain pillars of security and prosperity in the region," he said. "The world depends upon the stability and growth that together we can generate," Powell said. Powell stated that the coalition effort is "committed to helping the liberated Iraqi people, help them achieve a stable and united country under a representative government that will use Iraq's great natural human talent and its oil wealth to benefit all its citizens." He added: "The future of Iraq, finally, will be in the hands of its own people." Seeing the Iraqi Shiites openly celebrate their religion at holy sites in Karbala for the first time in decades was "wonderful," the secretary said. "It is a new day in Iraq." Powell also discussed the multilateral negotiations held this week in Beijing to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program. He warned against setting expectations too high. We have "no intention of resolving any issues at this meeting," he said. Powell said the high-level meeting between North Korea, China and the United States is a welcomed opportunity to meet and exchange opinions and begin dialogue. The Secretary noted that there is "unity within the [international] community that we must not allow the [Korean] peninsula to become nuclear." "The one thing that we are absolutely committed to is that there must be a multilateral approach to this problem," Powell said. Powell congratulated the Chinese for their willingness to play an active role in the North Korea discussions and thus further improve the once strained relationship. Regarding China's record on human rights in its own country, Powell expressed concern for "disturbing setbacks" seen in the last few months. "In the key issue of human rights, there is still much work to be done," he said. Powell said that the goal of the United States is to "turn human rights into a positive element of our relationship. ... Inevitably, China's actions in the human rights area will continue to affect our overall bilateral relationship." Fostering a secure and prosperous environment in Asia will remain a top priority, Powell said. "We will not allow areas of difference to preclude cooperation in areas where we share interests," he said. The United States Asia Pacific Council was created with the support of the Department of State and comprises American corporations and citizens who have made contributions to the advancement of the U.S. relationship with Asian and Pacific nations. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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