17 January 2001 Powell Pledges Active Foreign Policy Approach, Bipartisan Spirit by Ralph Dannheisser Washington File Congressional Correspondent Washington -- Secretary of State-designate Colin Powell assured Senators considering his selection by president-elect Bush that the United States will stay engaged around the world in the Bush administration, with an abiding commitment to "help in any country that has a desire to be free, open and prosperous." And Powell pledged that, if confirmed by the Senate, he would adopt a "spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship in all my dealings with the committee and with Congress." The plaudits heaped on Powell by Republicans and Democrats alike at the hearing January 17 left no doubt that the retired general, who became a national hero in overseeing the Persian Gulf War a decade ago, would, in fact, be confirmed swiftly and perhaps, as some senators predicted, unanimously. Confirmation to head the nation's foreign affairs agency could come as early as January 20, in a special Senate session scheduled for just hours after Bush himself is sworn into office. In an extended opening statement to the committee, Powell ticked off priority foreign policy concerns for the new administration, from maintaining close ties with NATO and with Japan and other Asian allies, to expanding free trade in the Western Hemisphere, helping African nations deal with a host of problems, promoting a lasting peace in the Middle East, addressing potential threats from Korea and Iraq, and striking a balanced note in relations with China and with Russia. While the hearing demonstrated the profound respect Powell enjoys from members of both parties, an exchange with Senator Joseph Biden (Democrat, Delaware), who chaired the session, pointed up what is likely to be one of the contentious issues in the new administration: Bush's determination to pursue deployment of a National Missile Defense system. Biden, in his own remarks opening the hearing, expressed concern "that we not undertake a precipitous rush" to deploy such a system -- a step that he said "would reverse four decades of agreed-upon strategic doctrine." Questioning Powell later, he asked whether deployment might be deferred for a few years "if you could get an ironclad agreement ending North Korea's long-range ballistic missile development programs, and its sale of long-rage missile technologies to countries like Iran." "I think if we could move North Korea in that direction" Powell responded, "...that certainly would be factored into any calculation one would make about the threat. "But there are still other nations that are moving in this direction, particularly Iran. And until Iraq comes into compliance and we could be assured of what they're able to do, I would say that at this point, we should continue to move ahead as aggressively as possible," the secretary-designate continued. "We can always make a judgment later as to whether to deploy or slow the deployment." For now, he stressed, "the president-elect is committed to moving forward." Both Russia and Western European allies have expressed concerns about deployment of a missile defense system. But Powell said that the 1972 Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union, which banned such defenses, is "no longer relevant to our new strategic framework," adding, "We hope to persuade the Russians of the need to move beyond it." On a related matter, Powell said that steps to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction would have a high priority in the Bush administration. He said Bush does not plan to seek renewed consideration of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which the Senate rejected in the Clinton administration, but that the president-elect feels there is no need to resume testing "for the foreseeable future." Powell termed the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance "sacrosanct" and "the bedrock of our relationship with Europe." Addressing ongoing efforts by Western European nations to improve their own defense capabilities, Powell said any such move would have to strengthen NATO to gain U.S. approval. "What happens within that great alliance and what happens to it must comport with its continued strength, resilience and effectiveness," he said. "We will oppose any move that does not." In his opening statement and in response to committee questions, Powell made these other points: While China is not a U.S. strategic partner, "neither is China our inevitable and implacable foe." With specific reference to the issue of Taiwan, he said that U.S. policy recognizes that there is "only one China," but expects and demands "a peaceful settlement, one acceptable to people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait." Russia's relationship with the West can be a successful one only if "Russia does what it needs to do." And that means that it must "get on with reform -- in particular by firmly establishing the rule of law, rooting out corruption, stopping proliferation of missile technology and nuclear materials, (and) ending sales of destabilizing conventional weapons to nations such as Iran." One pressing obligation for Russia is to achieve a political settlement in Chechnya, while meeting international commitments and observing internationally recognized norms, such as those of the Geneva Conventions. The United States is open to a process of engagement with North Korea "so long as it addresses political, economic and security concerns, is reciprocal, and does not come at the expense of our alliance relationships." The Bush administration will strive for a lasting peace in the Middle East, "based on unshakeable support for the security of Israel, the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, our friendships in the Arab world, and a hard-headed recognition that the parties themselves must make the peace." With Saddam Hussein still pursuing bellicose policies, the United States "will work with our allies to re-energize the sanctions regime" first imposed against Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War. Until Iraq signals a willingness to "live in the world and not apart from it....we will remain resolute." In the "different case" of Iran, serious policy differences "need not preclude greater interaction, whether in more normal commerce or increased dialogue," and "our national security team will be reviewing such possibilities." The president-elect wants free trade agreements with all the countries of Latin America, with the ultimate goal of "free trade from the Yukon to Cape Horn." The incoming Bush administration supports actions by President Clinton and the Congress to send some $1,300 million in aid to Colombia -- money that should be used "to help the Colombian government to protect its people, fight the illicit drug trade, halt the momentum of the guerrillas, and ultimately to bring about a sensible and peaceful resolution of the conflict that has ravaged Colombia for so long now." Powell, who would be the first African-American secretary of state, said the United States must add substance to its outreach to Africa. Terming passage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act "one of the most important actions the Congress undertook this past year," he said it can lead the way to massive changes. "With powerful economies such as South Africa's, and eventually Nigeria's and other transforming African states, we can begin to change the lives of Africa's poorest peoples," he said. Powell spoke cautiously with respect to the new administration's reported plans to consider withdrawing U.S. troops stationed in Kosovo and Bosnia. "President-elect Bush has promised to look closely at our commitments in the Balkans, with the hope of reducing our troop levels there over time and in consultation with our allies," he said. "This will be part of a much more comprehensive review of all of our commitments, not simply those in Bosnia and Kosovo." The secretary-designate singled out Biden and Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms (Republican, North Carolina) for pushing the agreement under which the United Nations has revised downward the U.S. share of the cost of regular and peacekeeping operations. And he said he supports "paying as promptly as possible the arrears that we have accumulated with the UN." Powell was critical of funding and staffing declines in recent years in the department he is expected to head. "While the world has been growing more complex and demanding, we have cut the number of people in the State Department, we have underfunded our facilities accounts, we have neglected our infrastructure. We need to do better," he declared. He served notice that, once confirmed, he would be returning to Congress to seek needed funding increases. (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) Return to the Washington File