U.S. military presence sought

U.S. military presence sought

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Reuter): ASEAN foreign ministers' talks, dominated by a worsening rift between China and the United States, ended yesterday with a call for a continued U.S. military presence in the booming region.

The ministers also condemned French plans to resume nuclear tests in the Pacific but another strategic worry, overlapping claims in the South China Sea, were eased by an apparent shift in China's stand on the disputed Spratly Islands during the week- long talks.

"(A) continued U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region is vital. The United States is part of the Asia-Pacific scenario," Philippine Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon said at the end of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas told a joint news conference convened by ASEAN's seven members and their seven so- called dialog partners that a U.S. military presence in the region was a "part of life".

"However, U.S. military presence need not take the form of military bases. We welcome the United States' decision to pull out of the Philippines," Alatas said.

ASEAN foreign ministers from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and newly inducted Vietnam, met their so-called dialogue partners the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the European Union for wide-ranging talks.

Asia's premier security conference, the 19-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which includes Russia, China and the European Union, met on Monday.

While the meetings tackled a host of contentious issues, much attention focused on talks between U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and his Chinese counterpart Qian Qichen.

At their Tuesday meeting, Christopher tried to reassure Qian by reiterating Washington's one-China policy and he later told reporters the talks had been useful.

But any hopes of a speedy recovery in bilateral ties were dashed on Wednesday when Beijing announced that it had arrested two American air force officials for alleged spying.

Sino-U.S. relations have plunged following China's anger at Washington's decision to allow Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui to make a private visit to the United States in June and Beijing's arrest of American-Chinese activist Harry Wu.

ASEAN foreign ministers and their dialogue partners, however, showed rare unity over France's planned nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia from September to May.

The ARF meeting called for an immediate halting of nuclear tests. Spanish Foreign Minister Javier Solana, attending in his capacity as chairman of the EU Council, emerged as the sole dissenting voice as he stood by France.

French Minister for European Affairs Michel Barnier defended Paris' nuclear policy, adding that while France was aware of the concerns in the region it would not reverse its decision.

The meetings also acknowledged China's decision to resolve the ownership dispute over the potentially oil-rich Spratly Islands by agreeing to abide by international laws.

The Philippines' Siazon said Beijing's position could open the way for a settlement of the Spratlys' dispute, over which Manila and Beijing fought a tense war of words recently after China constructed facilities on Mischief Reef in the islands.