Albright to Lead U.S. Delegation to

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Albright to Lead U.S. Delegation to ASEAN Meetings 

12 July 1999 

Text: Albright to Lead U.S. Delegation to ASEAN Meetings 
(Economic crisis recovery serves as backdrop to meetings) (410)
USIS
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will lead the U.S. delegation to
Singapore to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Regional Forum (ARF) July 25-26 and the ASEAN Post Ministerial
Conference (PMC) July 27-28.

According to a press release issued by the State Department July 12,
the ARF and PMC are taking place against the backdrop of the recovery
from the extended economic crisis which has made its impact felt
throughout Asia and in the U.S. The U.S. will point to its open
markets and its support for social safety net programs as important
elements of that recovery, the release said.

Following is the text of the State Department release:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

STATEMENT BY JAMES B. FOLEY, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT'S TRAVEL TO ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM
 AND POST-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

July 12, 1999

Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will lead the U.S. delegation
to Singapore to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) July 25-26 and
the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) July 27-28, departing from
Washington on Thursday, July 22.

The ARF, now in its sixth year, has become an increasingly important
forum for the promotion of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific
region and, for the U.S., a valued complement to our network of
regional bilateral security ties.

The PMC follows the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and engages the
ASEAN countries (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) with their "dialogue
partners" (Australia, Canada, China, the, European Union, India,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the U.S.).

The ARF and PMC are taking place against the backdrop of the recovery
from the extended economic crisis which has made its impact felt
throughout Asia and in the U.S. The U.S. will point to its open
markets and its support for social safety net programs as important
elements of that recovery.

Amidst broad discussions of regional security and cooperation, we
expect issues such as the situations on the Korean Peninsula, East
Timor, and Burma and stability in the South China Sea to figure
prominently in this year's ministerials in Singapore.

The discussion on nonproliferation will include the implications for
the region of nuclear and missile testing and the Kargil fighting in
South Asia.

(end text)