Speaking of "solid alliances in Asia," US Secretary of State Colin Powell Monday said the United States has "good relations" with Pakistan and India. "We've got good relations with China, the best, perhaps, in decades, good relations with India, Pakistan, and the Russian Federation. Powell said this in response to a question, at an on-the- record briefing.
He said, it was all "a result of our foreign policy efforts" over the last four years "under President Bush's leadership."
According to him, "there are still challenges out there," but, he added, "I think there are far more opportunities out there."
"We have solid alliances in Asia, with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand and Australia; make sure that we use our alliances in Asia and the partnerships we have in Asia to keep pressing to find a solution to the North Korean nuclear program.
"We have to work with our European Union friends and with the IAEA to find a solution to the Iranian nuclear program, and we have seen a little bit of progress, hopefully, over the last 24 hours."
He said President Bush also has an active agenda with respect to trade, open trade, with respect to the Millennium Challenge Account and development funding, going after HP//AIDS, building on the partnerships and alliances that the US has around the world.
"We had some difficulties with some nations in Europe last year over Iraq and we are getting rid of those differences and coming together again, as evidenced by the fact that Nato is now undertaking a mission in support of the Iraqi people."