US wades into thorny Asian disputes

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

US wades into thorny Asian disputes
By MATTHEW LEE
The Associated Press
Friday, July 23, 2010; 2:03 AM

HANOI, Vietnam -- The Obama administration on Friday lashed out at belligerent acts by North Korea, human rights abuses in military-run Myanmar and, in a sign of new U.S. attention to the Pacific, claimed the resolution of thorny territorial disputes in the South China Sea to be in America's national interest.

Speaking at a Southeast Asian regional security forum in Vietnam, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned North Korea that it must reverse a "campaign of provocative, dangerous behavior" if it wants improved relations with its neighbors and the United States.

She said that stability in the region, particularly on the Korean peninsula, depends in large part on convincing an "isolated and belligerent" North Korea to change course. The communist North has pulled out of nuclear disarmament talks and is blamed for the sinking of a South Korean warship in March that has ratcheted up tensions.

"Peaceful resolution of the issues on the Korean peninsula will be possible only if North Korea fundamentally changes its behavior," Clinton told the gathering of top officials from the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and countries with major interests in the area like the U.S., China, Japan, North and South Korea and Russia.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/23/AR2010072300305.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. US: Asia must resolve claims on disputed islands

The Associated Press
Friday, July 23, 2010; 2:01 AM

HANOI, Vietnam -- The Obama administration says the peaceful resolution of thorny territorial disputes over islands in the South China Sea is a U.S. national interest and is urging the countries involved to negotiate a solution.

At a regional security forum in Vietnam on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Washington was concerned that conflicting claims on the Spratley and Paracel island chains interfere with maritime commerce, hamper access to international waters in the area and undermine the U.N. law of the sea.

Her comments are likely to anger China, the most powerful claimant, but Clinton says the U.S. doesn't support any country's sovereignty over the islands. The U.S., she says, is willing to work with the all the parties to help negotiate an end to the disputes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/23/AR2010072300304.html

[Judi Lynn]

2. US warns Myanmar on nukes, rights abuses

US warns Myanmar on nukes, rights abuses
The Associated Press
Friday, July 23, 2010; 1:59 AM

HANOI, Vietnam -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is calling on the countries of Southeast Asia to press Myanmar's military rulers to abandon any nuclear weapons cooperation it may have with North Korea.

At a regional security forum in Vietnam on Friday, Clinton said that "recent events" had called into question Myanmar's pledges to abide by U.N. sanctions on North Korea that include restrictions on arms transaction. She did not elaborate but there have been reports of North Korean ships with military hardware docking in Myanmar.

Clinton is also criticizing the junta for human rights abuses and is urging it to ensure that elections set for later this year are free and fair.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/23/AR2010072300301.html