*EPF313 12/12/2001
Text: Prosperous, Stable Southeast Asia in America's Interest
(House Asia-Pacific Subcommittee Chairman's opening remarks) (620)

It is in America's long-term interests to promote "a community of prosperous Southeast Asian nations," according to the chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific.

Representative James Leach (Republican of Iowa) made that assessment in a December 12 opening statement at a hearing on trends in the region following the terrorist attacks against America on September 11.

U.S. interests, Leach said, are best served if the countries in the region are "growing economically and open to free trade and investment, politically stable as well as accountable to the people."

The United States, Leach went on, "is deeply appreciative for the forthcoming position taken by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against terrorism, and for the offer by several ASEAN countries to assist in peacekeeping and reconstruction in Afghanistan."

Following is the text of Leach's statement as prepared for delivery:

(begin text)

Opening Statement
Representative James A. Leach
Chairman, Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific
Southeast Asia after 9/11: Regional Trends and U.S. Interests
December 12, 2001

I would like to warmly welcome our distinguished panel of witnesses, several of whom have flown in from locations near and far to be with us today. I understand that this will be the first appearance by several of our witnesses before the Subcommittee, and we look forward to their insights. We also welcome back Mr. Jendrzejczyk, who is well-known to Members of this Subcommittee and whose expertise we have all come to rely upon.

Last month the Subcommittee reviewed the impact of the war on terrorism and other key developments on the dynamic Northeast Asian region. Today's hearing will review developments in Southeast Asia after the events of September 11, as well as assess important regional trends and their potential impact on U.S. national interests.

The U.S. has a number of important interests in Southeast Asia, the area comprising Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam) and the insular republics of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, and Indonesia. While the region may lack the intrinsic strategic significance of Northeast Asia, the U.S. nevertheless has a wide range of economic, political and security interests in the area that demand the attention of policymakers. There is a broad consensus that it is in America's long-term interests to promote a community of prosperous Southeast Asian nations that is growing economically and open to free trade and investment, politically stable as well as accountable to the people, at peace within the region and able to effectively contribute to regional security, and committed to the cooperative solution of global problems - most prominently, eradicating international terrorism.

In this regard, America is deeply appreciative for the forthcoming position taken by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against terrorism, and for the offer by several ASEAN countries to assist in peacekeeping and reconstruction in Afghanistan. It cannot be stressed too strongly that the current military operation in Afghanistan is aimed against terrorism and not Islam, and that its main targets are the Al-Qaeda terrorist network and its Taliban supporters. We respect Islam and Islamic nations. The only brief we hold is against parties that manipulate hatred and employ tactics of terror.

In any regard, we look forward to your perspectives on priority American concerns in Southeast Asia, such as ensuring that the region does not become sanctuary for terrorist networks, the fate of Indonesia's democratic transition, the cohesiveness of ASEAN, prospects for cooperative approaches to transnational challenges like piracy and human trafficking, and advancing peace and prosperity through open markets, democratic governance, and respect for human rights.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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