Asian Nations Urged to Boost Terror Fight

SINGAPORE (AP) — Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday urged Asian nations to do more to defeat a global terrorist threat and to ensure that Afghanistan not be allowed to slip back into chaos.

His remarks to the annual Shangri-la conference on international security touched only lightly on China, whose military buildup had been a central focus of previous conferences. And while he mentioned the war in Iraq, he focused more on broader themes of terrorism and U.S. commitments in Asia.

“In particular, the challenge posed by terrorists inspired by radical ideologies cannot be overcome by any one nation — no matter how wealthy or powerful,” he said, alluding to U.S. efforts to build a lasting coalition.

In remarks later in response to questions from his audience, Gates said that while the United States and other countries have made progress against al-Qaida and affiliated terrorist organizations, it is too early to judge which side is winning. And he said that the terrorist networks are continuing to expand.

“We have not made enough progress on trying to address some of the root causes of terrorism,” Gates said, whether it be despotism or poverty. “The danger remains very great.”

In a speech notable for the absence of sharp jabs at other countries, Gates cited the largely peaceful conclusion of the Cold War as an example of how international cooperation can overcome a shared threat.

Gates emphasized the broad scope and historic basis of American interests and obligations in Asia and the Pacific.

“Some people have suggested that the United States may be neglecting Asia, because we have been too focused on Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hot spots. In reality, far from neglecting Asia, the United States is more engaged than ever before,” he said.

“We have been extraordinarily busy in recent years as we reshape and strengthen our security ties based on shared interests.”

He mentioned as examples a strengthening of military ties with India, Pakistan and Indonesia, as well as a U.S. push for a regional approach to addressing humanitarian crises and to countering terrorism.

“Based on this record it should be clear that the United States is not neglecting Asia, and will not do so in the future,” he said. “We are an Asian power with significant and long-term political, economic and security interests. Our commitments elsewhere notwithstanding, we will fulfill our commitments in Asia.”

In his exchange later with members of his audience — primarily government officials and security experts — Gates was asked how long U.S. intelligence agencies think it will take Iran to build a nuclear weapon.

“The general view of American intelligence is that they would be in a position to develop a nuclear device probably sometime in the period 2010-2011 or 2014 or 15,” he said. “There are those who believe that it could happen much sooner — late 2008 or 2009. The reality is that because of the way Iran has conducted its affairs we really don’t know, and it puts a higher premium, it seems to me, on the international community coming together in terms of strengthening sanctions on Iran so that they begin to face some serious trade-offs in terms of their economic well being and their economic future, for having nuclear weapons.”

On Iraq, Gates spoke positively of the Bush administration’s new troop buildup and counterinsurgency effort.

“The immediate goal is to create the breathing room necessary to allow reform and reconciliation to go forward — steps that will give all of Iraq’s communities, majority and minorities alike, a stake in that nation’s future,” he said.

“Whatever your views on how we got to this point in Iraq, it is clear that a failed state in that part of the world would destabilize the region and embolden violent extremists everywhere.”

Gates made only a passing reference to international concerns about the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea.

“The nuclear and ballistic missile programs of nations like Iran and North Korea pose one set of problems for their neighbors,” he said. “Another, equally worrisome, possibility is that regimes may sell these weapons and materials to others, including terrorist organizations.”

His comments on China were remarkable for their mostly upbeat tone — a contrast to speeches that his predecessor, Donald H. Rumsfeld, made here in recent years with pointed criticism of China’s military buildup.

“I believe there is reason to be optimistic about the U.S.-China relationship,” he said.

He took a light poke at Russia, recalling a speech in Munich, Germany, earlier this year in which President Vladimir Putin lashed out at the United States for what he called its aspirations to dominate the world.

“As I said in Munich, one Cold War was enough — though there seem to be some speechwriters in Moscow who seem to yearn for the old days of bluster and confrontation,” he said.

As he has throughout his five months as defense secretary, Gates put heavy emphasis on Afghanistan as a challenge of enormous importance not only to the United States but also to the rest of the world.

“We have learned the hard way that allowing failed states to turn into terrorist sanctuaries has catastrophic consequences,” he said.

More broadly, he cited the Central Asian region as an area of heightened risk as Afghanistan and former republics of the Soviet Union are struggling to make a transition to democracy and open economies.

“At this point I would like to challenge our allies, friends, and partners in the region to do more to help Central Asia in several key areas,” Gates said, city economic development as the highest priority.

“A vibrant economy will provide the people of Central Asia with more opportunities — and the terrorists with fewer potential recruits,” he said.

Gates’ Singapore visit also is an opportunity for him to meet separately with his counterparts from several Asian nations, including South Korea, where the decades-old alliance is facing political strains.

China, which previously had shown little interest in the Singapore conference, sent the deputy chief of its General Staff with responsibility for foreign affairs, Lt. Gen. Zhang Qinsheng — the highest ranking Chinese officer ever to attend.

Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, said Friday that most Asian countries do not consider China’s rising defense spending a threat to regional security, even though Washington and Tokyo are worried.

“Most Asian countries assess the challenge from China to be more economic than military,” he said in a speech to inaugurate the three- day conference.

(c) 2007 Deseret News (Salt Lake City). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.