AFP-Albright wraps up wide-ranging

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Subject: AFP-Albright wraps up wide-ranging Asian talks

Albright wraps up wide-ranging Asian talks
SINGAPORE, July 27 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on
Tuesday wrapped up three hectic days of meetings here with Asian
counterparts on issues ranging from North Korea, South Asia, China-Taiwan
tensions to the Balkans.
Albright, as well as many of her colleagues attending the annual Association
of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum on security and for talks with
key trading partners, delivered stern warnings to North Korea on possible
future missile tests.

Washington's top diplomat also sought to mend fences with China, which is
still angry over the accidental US bombing of its embassy in Belgrade in
May, and Russia, which was vehemently opposed to NATO's campaign against
Yugoslavia.

She also urged ASEAN members to stay the course on financial reform, fight
transnational crime, reduce tensions over the disputed Spratly Islands, push
Indonesia to move toward full democracy, and promote reform in Myanmar,
whose military government she alleged was a "regional threat."

On North Korea, Albright called for Pyongyang to take advantage of unique
opportunities now available to the hermetic state to come out from its
isolation, saying Washington would support its entry into the ARF, Asia's
foremost security forum.

At the same time however, she and her Japanese and South Korean
counterparts, said the Stalinist North would face severe consequences should
it attempt another missile test such as the one launched over Japan last
year which Pyongyang explained as an attempt to orbit a satellite.

"Another long-range missile launch whether it is declared to be a missile
test or an attempt to place a satellite in orbit would be highly
destabilizing and would have very serious consequences for our efforts to
build better relations," she said.

Key to engaging North Korea is a solid relationship with China, Albright
said, assuring members of the ASEAN community that Washington placed a huge
priority on improving and maintaining ties with Beijing.

Along those lines, Albright moved to close the rift between Washington and
Beijing that resulted from the embassy bombing.


"I would characterize this as an easing of tensions," Albright said after a
working lunch with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan on Sunday at which
she said the two covered a lot of ground "between bites."

She and Tang appeared to find common ground on statehood declarations by
Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, declaring seperately after a Sunday
meeting the importance of a one-China policy.

"The explanations offered thus far don't quite do it," she said of Taipei's
clarifications on the sensitive subject.

Despite an easing of tensions, though, friction remains with China still not
accepting US explanations about the bombing and US concern over Beijing's
human rights practices, particularly the crackdown on the mystical Falungong
group.

In a Sunday meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, Albright
received assurances that Delhi remained committed to ratifying a nuclear
test ban treaty, and thanks for the US role in easing the conflict with
Pakistan over Kashmir.

Nuclear non-proliferation and arms reduction also played a major part in
Albright's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. The two agreed
to create a hotline between their two offices.

That move was seen as symbolic way in which Washington and Moscow, at odds
over the Yugoslav bombing, could demonstrate their intention to improve
relations.

Ivanov told Albright that Moscow would be pushing the Duma to ratify the
START II nuclear arms reduction treaty when it reconvenes in September and
was interested in negotiations over a future START III pact as well as
amending the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

In a dialogue with ASEAN partners before wrapping up her visit, Albright
proposed cooperation in such areas as fighting transnational crime,
prevention of trafficking in narcotics, women and children and protection of
the environment.

"In many ways these are the challenges of the future, and it will be
increasingly urgent that we respond effectively to them," she said.