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UK' s Cook To Visit ASIA



By David Ljunggren 

LONDON, Aug 21 (Reuter) - Foreign Secretary Robin Cook will visit four
Southeast Asian countries next week to stress the importance of human rights
and boost business ties with Britain, officials said on Thursday. 

Cook will travel to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore
between August 26 and September 1. It will be his first trip to the region
and the first by a British foreign secretary since 1988. 

``I will set out this government's foreign policy priorities, which include a
deepening of our relations across Asia and ensuring respect for human
rights,'' Cook said in a statement. 

Cook, who says he wants Britain's foreign policy to revolve around human
rights, said he would stress to Indonesia the need to make progress in ending
a protracted conflict in the rebel East Timor region. 

Human rights groups estimate that 200,000 people have died in the former
Portuguese colony since Indonesia invaded in 1975, mostly through famine and
disease. 

Jakarta annexed East Timor in 1976 in a move not recognised by the the United
Nations. The United Nations is conducting talks between Indonesian and
Portuguese officials in a bid to end the deadlock. 

``In Indonesia I will emphasise the need for progress on East Timor, and
demonstrate my strong support for the U.N. process,'' Cook said. 

On taking office Cook vowed to ban arms sales to countries with poor human
rights records, raising hopes among British campaigners that he would clamp
down on lucrative arms sales to Indonesia. 

But they were disappointed when, acting on the advice of lawyers, he refused
to withdraw more than 21,000 existing licences. These included one for the
sale of 16 British Aerospace (BA.L) Hawk jets and another for armoured
vehicles. 

Cook said in the statement that he would also discuss recent violent events
in Cambodia and British efforts to promote reform in Burma, where the
military government has clamped down on pro-democracy activists. 

``The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made extraordinary
progress in the last 30 years. It is now established as a significant global
player in both economic and political tersm,'' he said. 

``British interests in the region are extensive and continue to grow. We are
the leading European investor. I intend to use my visit to give new impetus
to Britain's relationship with its Southeast Asian partners.'' 

Cook will also discuss a forthcoming October meeting of Commonwealth leaders
while in Singapore and Malaysia and will deliver a speech in Kuala Lumpur on
Britain's relations with Southeast Asia.  

10:15 08-21-97