Washington, Oct 16: Before a meeting with the British foreign secretary Jack Straw, the US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the bomb blasts in Indonesia and the Indo-Pak situation would figure in the discussions between the two leaders. Powell, who along with straw addressed reporters before the meeting yesterday, said that among the topics they would be discussing later was "the situation in India and Pakistan."
Referring to the "terrible tragedy" in Bali, Powell said: "it once again reinforces our determination to prosecute this war against terrorism. And we will do everything we can to remove this scourge from the world."
Asked if the events in Bali show that us' focus on Iraq was just a distraction from the war on terror and the campaign against al Qaeda, Powell said: "not in my judgment."
"We talk about the campaign against terror, we are going after... Those regimes that are supporting terrorists and developing weapons of mass destruction. And that nexus between developing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorist activities is focused in Iraq," he said.
Straw said he shared Powell's view. He said he would be speaking in Chicago about three linked threats to international security - from weapons of mass destruction; from rogue states and failing states, and from international terrorism.
"And if you want a safer and more peaceful world, we have to address and deal with all three threats together," Straw added.
Bureau Report