Relevant excerpts from the daily press briefing, July 12, 2002
Richard Boucher: Second piece of travel. Later this month, Secretaryof State Powell will travel to India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei,Indonesia and the Philippines from July 27 -- although I think departure is the 26th --until August 3rd for the days of events. We'll put out a statement that gives you some ofthe substance of this discussion. As you know, the Secretary has been working and veryinterested in the situation in India and Pakistan. That remains a prime issue for us, andhe wants to go out and meet with the leaders there again. And then he'll also proceed toSoutheast Asia and to the ASEAN Regional Forum Meeting, which is being held this year inBandar Seri Begawan.
As far as dates go, he'll be in India and Pakistan on July 27 and 28, although the finalarrangements for those stops are being made. Which stop which day is not absolutelycertain yet. He'll arrive in Bangkok on July 28th, travel to Kuala Lumpur on July 29th,and visit Singapore July 30th. He'll be in Bandar Seri Begawan July 31st and August 1st,and he'll fly on to Jakarta for August 2nd, and then on to Manila for August 3rd, and thenwe'll come home.
Question: I mean, increased concern, or is it just going to continue atthe same level?
Richard Boucher: The Secretary has been in close touch with leaders inthis region, as well as the United States having the trips that you know about -- DeputySecretary Armitage, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. Those produced the easing of tensions thatwe've seen. The Secretary's continuing to work with the leaders there by phone. He spokelast week with the outgoing Indian Foreign Minister and the incoming Indian ForeignMinister. He spoke on Monday with President Musharraf of Pakistan. So we've kept in touchdirectly, as well as through our ambassadors and our embassies out there.
The issue I would say at this point is that there has been some easing of tensions, therehas been a significant decline in the infiltration along the line of control. We continueto look for that to be made permanent in accordance with the pledges that PresidentMusharraf has made. We're continuing to look for the kind of actions that both sides cantake to make this process move forward, in terms of, for example, ending the camps on thePakistani side, continuing to take steps such as the Indians have taken to ease thetensions, to allow -- you know, they've allowed personnel to go on leave from themilitary, they've redeployed some of their ships.
And so we want to keep that momentum going towards the easing of tensions, and we want tokeep on the agenda and in discussions with them the issue of dialogue, which is, I thinkwe all agree, the way that ultimately these questions need to be resolved. So ourinterests in pursuing that and seeing it move forward is very strong.
There are other issues. We have important relationships with both these countries as well,in Pakistan a growing and broadening relationship and a movement towards democracy withelections in October that we want to firmly support. That can be an important step on theroad back to democracy, which is very important to us. And with India, a much broaderrelationship as well. So a lot to discuss.
Question: A last one, if I may. We've been told that tensions are easing,and that the Indians -- and some Indian soldiers, in fact, have been removed from theborder, from the line of defense. The Indian ministers have been saying no; the Indianministers have been saying that the infiltration is continuing, even increasing, some havesaid. Military and civilian Indian officials have said this. Is it -- you know, I guess itgoes up and down. But the US is confident there is some decline in tensions, thatMusharraf is making good?
Richard Boucher: We are confident, and I think Indian officials have said this,whatever the temporary increases that they report, overall there's a significant declinein the level of infiltration. Now, President Musharraf has said that that's a permanentchange. He's made that commitment to us and we've conveyed it to the Indian Government.And we all want to see that happen, that this does remain a permanent change.
And second of all, we want to see the continued action that he has talked about, like theaction against camps and groups. So we want to see those things continue. We also want tosee a continuation of steps on the Indian side to ease off and deescalate the situation.
Anything else?
