AFP-Albright arrives in Singapore t

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Subject: AFP-Albright arrives in Singapore to put Asia back on US map

Albright arrives in Singapore to put Asia back on US map
SINGAPORE, July 24 (AFP) - After months of American preoccupation with
Europe, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived in Singapore
Saturday determined to prove that Washington's foreign policy agenda will
not be distracted from Asia.
In Singapore for the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional
Forum and ASEAN post-ministerial conference, Albright has an impressive
array of bilateral meetings scheduled for the next three days.

Though meetings with the Chinese, Indian and Russian foreign ministers -- to
discuss worsening tension between China and Taiwan, the conflict over
Kashmir and residual Kosovo issues -- have been touted as the most
significant, Albright is to see privately at least eight other top-level
officials on regional issues.

"The fact that the secretary is going (to the ASEAN meetings) means Kosovo
is over and she's back in Asia," said a senior official travelling with her.

"It's nice to be able to demonstrate that we are back in Asia," the official
said, noting Albright's hectic schedule in Singapore.

Even though the secretary is expected to leave early Wednesday for Europe to
visit Kosovo and attend a summit on Balkans reconstruction, officials
bristled at the notion that somewhow she is giving short-shrift to Asian,
and in particular, ASEAN, issues.

They note that all 10 members of ASEAN are extremely concerned about the
China-Taiwan situation and most are interested in the situation in the
disputed Spratly Islands, tension on the Korean peninsula and the aftermath
of the Indonesian elections as next month's independence vote in East Timor
approaches.

All are subjects Albright will raise prominently and she expects to be
questioned heavily by her counterparts on US-China relations since the
accidental bombing of Beijing's embassy in Belgrade in May.

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Stanley
Roth, sent to Beijing as a special envoy, has held "constructive" talks with
Chinese officials over the past two days and is to give Albright an
extensive briefing before her talks with Foreign Minister Tang Jiuxan on
Sunday.


Also Sunday Albright is to see Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh for
talks on Kashmir and nuclear proliferation. She will also meet the Thai,
Australian and Singaporean foreign ministers.

In both the bilateral meetings and larger discussions, Albright is expected
to take the lead in pushing transnational issues, such as terrorism, the
trafficking of women and children and narcotics, US officials said.

On Monday, when she is scheduled to see Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali
Alatas, they said she expected to hear that Jakarta intended to make good on
its promises for a peaceful transition to a new government, as well as a
free and fair vote in East Timor on an offer of autonomy.

"We're going to want reassurances from the Indonesians," said one official.

She is also expected to raise concerns about Myanmar's human rights and urge
that ASEAN members not take for granted their recovery from the Asian
economic crisis.

Once Albright departs the region, Roth is expected to travel to Hanoi where
US and Vietnamese negotiators have been trying to hammer out a trade
agreement.

Another senior official, Skip Boyce, is to travel to Phnom Penh to press US
concerns about the upcoming trials of two Khmer Rouge commanders in Cambodia
and to Manila to discuss military cooperation.