Via Taiwan Security Research, the Far Eastern Economic Review published an interview with Colin Powell on Oct. 28, 2004: “United States Secretary of State Colin Powell will try to jump-start the stalled talks on North Korea’s nuclear-weapons programme during visits to Japan, China and South Korea beginning on October 23, 10 days before the U.S. presidential election. Many believe the trip will be his valedictory tour of the region.
…… Prior to his trip, in an interview at the State Department in Washington with the REVIEW’S Murray Hiebert and Susan V. Lawrence, Powell expressed pride at how well the U.S. and China have learned to work together since their military aircraft collided over the South China Sea in April 2001. He rejected the notion that splits in the Bush administration have hobbled Washington’s ability to roll back North Korea’s nuclear programme, and he reiterated U.S. opposition to any Taiwanese moves towards independence. And he voiced enthusiasm for Asia’s progress since his first visits as a soldier in Vietnam and then as a White House fellow in China, 32 years ago.”
Following the interview, one can read Susan V. Lawrence’s commentary about this topic.
