Cook to visit 4 ASEAN nations

Cook to visit 4 ASEAN nations

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook will visit four Southeast Asian nations later this month to discuss Britain's relations with Asia and human rights issues, officials said yesterday.

The British High Commission said Cook will discuss a "deepening of (Britain's) relations across Asia and ensuring respect for human rights" during his tour of Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore.

Cook will begin his tour in Malaysia Aug. 27, holding talks with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said he would use his visit to "give new impetus to Britain's relationship" with ASEAN.