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US committed to rigorous commitment with Asia, Clinton says
Feb 14, 2009, 0:26 GMT
New York - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday pledged to strengthen ties with Asia, offering North Korea normalized relations if it abandoned nuclear weapons and appealing to China for a more cooperative relationship.
During a speech at the Asia Society in New York Friday, two days before she leaves on a four-nation tour of Asia, Clinton said she would deliver a 'message about America's desire for more rigorous and persistent commitment and engagement' in Asia.
The US was prepared to normalize relations and sign a peace treaty with North Korea if the Stalinist state abandoned its nuclear weapons programme, Clinton said. Washington would also provide economic and energy aid to North Korea as long as Pyongyang adhered to a 2006 disarmament agreement.
'If North Korea is genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate their nuclear weapons programme, the Obama administration will be willing to normalize bilateral relations, replace the peninsula's long-standing armistice agreements with a permanent peace treaty, and assist in meeting the energy and other economic needs of the North Korean people,' Clinton said.
A peace treaty with North Korea would replace a 1953 armistice and formally end the Korean War.
Calling for a 'positive relationship' between the US and China, Clinton announced that mid-level military talks were to resume later this month. The discussions had stalled since last year after the Bush administration decided to sell billions of dollars worth of weapons to Taiwan.
'Even with our differences, the United States will remain committed to pursuing a positive relationship with China, one that we believe is essential for America's future peace, progress and prosperity,' Clinton said, before her trip to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China.
Clinton's first stop will be Tokyo, where she will sign the Guam International Agreement to move 8,000 US troops from Okinawa to Guam, a Pacific island that is a US territory. 'Our security alliance with Japan, 50 years old next year, has been and must remain unshakable,' Clinton said.
She also spoke of the widening economic crisis, which started in the US and has now spread throughout the world. 'The global financial crisis requires every nation to look inward for solutions,' Clinton said.
'But none of us can afford to become so introspective that we overlook the critical role that international partnerships must play in stabilizing the world's economy,' she said, adding that countries must remain committed to a system of open and free trade.
While signalling the need for strong ties in Asia, Clinton said much of the region 'enjoys peace and prosperity today ... in no small part to American efforts over the last half century to support political, economic, security and educational alliances with Asian nations.'
She said her focus on Asia was built on the understanding that it was time for the US to engage with its Asian partners because 'so much of our future would depend on the future energy and decisions of Asians.'
Clinton said human rights should be expanded to create a world where opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be freed by the Myanmar military junta, North Koreans would be able to elect their leaders and Tibetans and Chinese would have religious freedom free from persecution.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
'more rigorous and persistent commitment and engagement'
Say what??????
I think Hillarity Clinton has been into EssPee's drug stash.
...this is just what libnazis do just before they receive the briefcase full of unmarked currencies....and we thought jack Abramoff was someone who was bad...
'...committed...to the commitment....' Is that antything like minimizing to the max , or a policy of rigid flexibility?....how about a nonspecific set of specifications...?
Be sure to get back to us on this...I cannot wait...
'Be sure to get back to us on this...I cannot wait...'
You cannot wait? Then why ask the question, jackanapes.
You cannot wait? Then piss yourself, the bathroom is in use.
You cannot wait and yet you want a response? Wait for it, moron. Go smoke some more crack.
'Be sure to get back to us on this...I cannot wait...'
You cannot wait?
SP4 - you know, I think I said that already....
Then why ask the question, jackanapes.
SP4 - isn't that a question, above? We can tell by using the '?' sign. We learn that in a place called 'school'. You know the place, it's the one the very short bus takes you on weekdays.
You cannot wait?
SP4 - uh...yeah...I think we covered that above....already....
Then piss yourself, the bathroom is in use.
SP4 - The horn you hear is the short bus reminding you to get on...
You cannot wait and yet you want a response? Wait for it, moron. Go smoke some more crack.
SP4 - Hurry now, the short bus is leaving...
'SP4 - you know, I think I said that already....'
Hey dimwit, he was making fund of you, you always say that, stupid.
'SP4 - isn't that a question, above? We can tell by using the '?' sign. We learn that in a place called 'school'. You know the place, it's the one the very short bus takes you on weekdays.'
The very fact that you would spout this is amazing. You are by far the worst at spelling, grammar, truth, and proof on this site---you have yet to be right and been able to prove anything, just crap. Speak of needing an education, you need to go back to school and finish the 6th grade, god what an imbecile.
'SP4 - uh...yeah...I think we covered that above....already....'
Again stupid he was making fun of you.
'SP4 - The horn you hear is the short bus reminding you to get on...'
And you will meet him in the second seat.
'SP4 - Hurry now, the short bus is leaving...'
And you already 'missed the bus'. And again you do not have to put your stupid moniker (look it up its in the dictionary---oh I forgot you don't have one of those), by your signature in the address line we know it is you. God you are not only wrong all the time you are as stupid as they get.
Ms. Clinton has some redeeming qualities, however, unfortunately, transparency is not one of them. Her REAL problem is not toying with N.Korean concerns. President Bush gave N. Korea what it needed to hear and that was a simple 'NO.' What Hillary Clinton needs to do now is go to another part of Asia and that's Afghanistan, and she should have been there yesterday. Zardiri of Pakistan has just SURRENDERED to the Taliban at a time when (if he claims to be commander-in-chief of his country,) he really needs to be 'in charge' and not caving in to these Sharia monsters. This is a very sad day, and the state department has its pants down! How embarassing, Mr. Obama. You better re-think sending Ms. Clinton to just those already favored Asian nations to play some more 'softball' Bill Clinton-style (the bloody wimp). She should be representing anti-terrorist stances already established instead of hiding her head in the sand. Do your job Hillary and show some balls. NO APPEASEMENT--------------NO APPEASEMENT---------------NO APPEASEMENT
..by the way, it's 'making fun' not 'making fund'
...and he calls me the dimwit...
page: 1
sp4 sayFeb 14th, 2009 - 18:26:37
Hillary stupid me smart .
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