"This is not a case of Big Brother United States imposing on ASEAN," Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said. "This is something that both ASEAN and the United States want."
Under the agreement, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Washington will share information, boost police cooperation and plug holes that extremists can exploit. It would raise U.S. technical and logistical aid to "prevent, disrupt and combat" international terrorism.
Powell told a news conference that the accord would not be used as a thin excuse to deploy U.S. troops.
Powell said he brings the message to each country he visits that the campaign against terrorism should not be a cover to repress legitimate dissent, a charge leveled by critics in Malaysia and Indonesia.
"If we're going to defeat the terrorists, then we have to attack them from the highest moral plane," Powell said. "Human rights have to be protected."
? The United States will send a senior envoy to North Korea to follow up on a breakthrough meeting with Powell, the North's foreign minister said Thursday.Paek Nam Sun, who met Powell on Wednesday, said that James Kelly, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Asia, would visit but a date remained to be set.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.