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"We have to recognize the real importance of Asia that has developed over the last eight years with a great deal of neglect from this administration," Gelbard said. (Google) |
WASHINGTON — While no one really knows who will be the new occupant of the White House, it is almost certain that Barak Obama or John McCain will bring major changes to America's foreign policy in Asia.
"We have to recognize the real importance of Asia that has developed over the last eight years with a great deal of neglect from this administration," Robert Gelbard, Obama's top Asia adviser, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday, October 5.
"The whole range of relationships are in trouble."
Obama will push for China's entry into the Group of Eight (G8), which includes the US, the European Union, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Russia and Japan.
"It's ridiculous to exclude one of the world's largest economies, third largest economy from the G8," said Frank Jannuzi, an East Asia specialist in the Obama campaign.
China has become a global manufacturing power and is already replacing the US as the primary trading partner for many nations.
The Illinois senator is also expected to link Beijing to a trilateral nuclear energy cooperation network with the US and Japan.
He appears to be receptive to signing up to a non-aggression treaty with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a precondition for nations wanting to participate in an annual East Asian Summit.
"We have managed to walk away as Asia has been moving forward on a lot of this regional architecture, particularly over the last decade, and we've left the terrain wide open for China and Russia as it's moved forward," Gelbard said.
He added that an Obama administration could sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with reservations.
"So we can then have a seat at the table, literally, for the East Asia Summit."
The Bush administration has refused to sign this treaty.
Tougher McCain
While President George Bush has relied heavily on China in dealing with the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, McCain is expected to pursue a more aggressive policy.
He proposes to do that through a united front with American allies South Korea and Japan.
McCain will also push for UN Security Council intervention in the Korean nuclear crisis if Pyongyang does not live up to its pledge to verify its nuclear program, his aides said.
"The real question will come down to which candidate is ready to make the hard call on issues like trade or on the negotiating process with North Korea and keep a focus on our allies' interests because we need them," said Michael Green, McCain's top advisor on Asia policy.
North Korea has recently resumed work at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, blaming the move on America's failure to remove its name from its terrorist blacklist.
But McCain seems to be as receptive to signing up to a non-aggression treaty with ASEAN as Obama.
"I think many Asian experts would say we need to look at a way to get more engaged in the East Asia summit. That gets us in the door," said Green.
War on Terror
On the so-called "war on terror", the two candidates are expected to fashion a new strategy to deal with the rising Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"I see the nexus of Afghanistan/Pakistan as the most dangerous area in the world," said Gelbard, the Obama strategist.
Obama has said he would launch military strikes inside Pakistan if the Islamabad government is unwilling or unable to act.
"If the US has Al-Qaeda, (Osama) bin Laden, top-level lieutenants in our sights, and Pakistan is unwilling or unable to act, then we should take them out," he said at a recent public debate with McCain.
Bush has recently secretly authorized his troops to conduct ground operations inside Pakistan without its approval.
The classified orders allow US Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan, which has been America's main ally in its war on terror, without the prior approval of its government.
Obama favors withdrawing US troops from Iraq and sending them to Afghanistan to better deal with the increasing Taliban threat.
McCain countered by calling for a "new strategy" for Afghanistan but did not provide details.
"We're going to have to help the Pakistanis go into these areas and obtain the allegiance of the people. It's going to be tough."
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