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Albright to visit Thailand
Politics
Albright to visit Thailand
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
will visit Bangkok in about two weeks on
her way back from the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in
Malaysia, Foreign Ministry deputy
spokesman Kitti Wasinondh said Tuesday.
Albright is scheduled to visit the northern
province of Chiang Mai on Nov 17 before
travelling to Bangkok the following day, Kitti
said.
In Bangkok she will discuss bilateral issues
and cooperation with her Thai counterpart,
Surin Pitsuwan, as well as ways to tackle
the economic crisis.
Albright comes to Asia as part of a
delegation accompanying US President Bill
Clinton, who will participate in the summit
with other Apec leaders on Nov 17 and 18,
Kitti added.
Apec's ministerial meeting, which Albright
and Surin will attend, is organised two days
before the summit.
Before visiting Bangkok, Albright will go to
Indonesia, the first time since the downfall
of President Suharto, a US ally for several
decades.
When the economic crisis spread to
Indonesia, rioting and mass protests forced
Suharto to resign on May 21. He was
replaced by Vice President B J Habibie,
but popular unrest and economic distress
have continued.
Last week, about 8,000 Indonesian
students amassed outside Parliament in
the largest protest against Habibie since he
came to power. They demanded a
transitional government.
In recent speeches, Albright has advocated
that Asian governments follow policies of
free trade, market economics,
democratisation and respect for human
rights.
Speaking in Washington on Friday, she
warned Asian nations against turning to the
''false gods of protectionism'' in the search
for economic revival.
Albright also pressed international financial
institutions to help the countries do more to
cope with social hardships created by the
financial meltdown.
The Nation