| 10.17.2004 The Korea Herald Powell's sudden Asia trip raises questions here Korea watchers are questioning the purpose of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's sudden trip to Asia, which begins only 10 days before Americans go to the polls to pick their next president. Powell is set to begin the five-day tour to Japan, China, and Korea on Friday. He will arrive here next Monday for a two day-visit. The visit comes after the two years of international tension over North Korea's nuclear standoff has become a major campaign issue. Powell "expects to hold discussions with senior officials in the three countries on bilateral matters, regional security and stability, and issues such as the global war on terrorism, Iraq, North Korea and the Six Party Talks," the U.S. State Department said in an announcement yesterday. In Korea, high on the agenda are meetings with President Roh Moo-hyun, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program and South Korean troops stationed in Iraq, officials here said. But while Powell's visit is said to be aimed at restarting the six-nation disarmament talks and addressing a variety of other security issues, some analysts here think otherwise. They say his trip may actually be intended to bolster ties between the United States and its Northeast Asian allies as a last-ditch effort to solidify Powell's post in the Bush administration, in preparation for a possible continuation of the administration if Bush wins Nov. 2. Powell, the administration's most visible moderate, has lost many battles with administration conservatives, but recently has begun to win a few over how to deal with North Korea and Iran, and how to rebuild burned bridges with allies. Many in Washington suspect, however, that he may have had enough. "Powell, as a moderate, isn't confirmed a post even if Bush stays for a second term," a diplomat said. "While others like Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleeza Rice are generally seen to remain in some kind of power with Bush, Powell may need a chance to prove that he needs to be there as well." There is no doubt that many administration officials might like to push Powell out. But Bush's Democratic challenger John Kerry has lambasted Bush for refusing to speak directly with North Korea as it continues to make nuclear weapons, and has vowed to engage the Stalinist nation directly if he should win the presidency. The six-nation talks aimed at resolving the two-year tension over the North's nuclear program have made little progress so far. North Korea boycotted a September meeting, citing Washington's perceived "hostile" policy toward it. Many observers believe North Korea has decided to bide its time until it sees who wins the U.S. election, apparently believing that it may find a Kerry Administration a better negotiating partner. The six nations in the talks are the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia. South Korea has just completed the deployment of 2,800 troops in northern Iraq, making it the largest U.S. coalition partner in the war there after Britain. It plans send several hundred more troops in the coming months. The South Korean government needs National Assembly approval to continue to keep the troops there. The Assembly approved the troop deployment late last year on the condition that they be there just one year. ([email protected]), By Choi Soung-ah |
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