June 6th 2004
The US defence secretary appealed for additional support for the Proliferation Security Initiative, which would permit US interdiction of weapons of mass destruction.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld assured Asian defence chiefs on Saturday that the United States will “most certainly” maintain its security presence in the region.
Addressing the annual Asia Security Conference in Singapore, Mr Rumsfeld also said that those who doubt the rise of a democratic and self-governing Iraq and a West Asia free of terrorist tyranny should come to Asia.
A century ago, many Asian nations were not free and were “torn by civil strife”, Mr Rumsfeld said. “Today, Asia is one of the world’s fastest-growing centres for the creation of opportunity, prosperity and knowledge. The true measure of a people is in their ability to persevere, to overcome hardship and difficulty and build a better future,” he said. “In this, the people of Asia have few equals.”
Defence ministers, officials and experts from the Asia-Pacific together with representatives from the United Kingdom and Europe have been focusing on security issues at the three-day conference ending on Sunday.
Recognising that extremists are seeking more powerful means to inflict damage in even greater numbers, Mr Rumsfeld appealed for additional support for the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), which would permit US interdiction of missiles and other components of weapons of mass destruction at sea, in the air and on land.
Noting that more than 50 nations have expressed support, he asked the participants to “consider how much more progress could be made if our entire 80-nation global coalition made the fight against proliferation a top priority”. Outlining principles guiding America’s security presence “in this new world”, Mr Rumsfeld mentioned strengthening partnerships with existing allies and friends and working with new ones as the top priority.
Developing greater flexibility to deal with the unexpected came second, he said.
Focusing on more rapidly deployable capabilities and power rather than static presence was mentioned third, followed by breaking down artificial barriers between regions in planning.
“We have not been successful” in preventing a new generation of terrorist recruits, he said. He cited schools teaching suicide, bombing and hatred instead of mathematics and skills for the future. “We have not developed skills to counter that,” Mr Rumsfeld said.
His final meeting before leaving for Dhaka, Bangladesh, was with Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill. The session provided an opportunity to discuss the progress of reconstruction and operations in Iraq and next month’s transition of authority to the Iraqi interim government, Mr Hill said.
