Cohen Stresses Need for Multinational Exercises
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
BANGKOK, Sept. 19, 2000 -- In what is becoming a theme of his
trip to Asia, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen spoke with Thai
officials Sept. 19 about the need for multilateral peacekeeping
exercises.
Cohen's meeting with Thai Prime Minister Likphai Chuan continued
the line of similar discussions he's had on the trip with
officials in the Philippines and Singapore. He has said any
multilateral exercise in the area would concentrate on
peacekeeping and humanitarian relief operations.
"If there is one word that describes the security relationship
between Thailand and the United States, that word is
'partnership,'" Cohen said during a press conference. "Thai and
U.S. soldiers have fought together in war and now they are
working together in peace."
Cohen said he and the prime minister, who's also the defense
minister, discussed the most recent Cobra Gold exercise. Cobra
Gold, hosted by Thailand, is the largest military exercise in
the Pacific. Cobra Gold 2000 featured 22,500 U.S., Thai and
Singaporean service members and focused on peacekeeping and
humanitarian missions.
"This type of demanding training increases the ability of troops
from (regional) countries to deal with real world challenges,"
he said.
Cohen said Thailand already is participating in peacekeeping
operations in East Timor. The commander of the U.N. effort in
the country is a Thai general trained at the U.S. Military
Academy, West Point, N.Y.
The secretary said the need for multilateral exercises in no way
diminishes U.S. commitments to bilateral relationships. "It is
important we have the experience of training together,
exercising together, sharing information, sharing techniques,"
he said. "I think that is something (regional) governments will
welcome in the future."
Other officials in the region agreed with the need to maintain
strong bilateral relations. But U.S. officials hope that in time
the countries can expand them to a multilateral basis in the
fields of peacekeeping and humanitarian disaster relief.
Cohen said any multilateral exercise would welcome Chinese
participation. "These are in no way designed to isolate China,"
he said "We want China to be a participant in this Asia-Pacific
Regional Initiative."
Cohen also discussed Thailand's counternarcotics initiatives. He
said Adm. Dennis Blair, commander in chief of U.S. Pacific
Command, will visit Thailand to see what the United States can
do to help -- the United States and Thailand have worked closely
together to combat drugs for 30 years.
Thailand has virtually eliminated opium poppy cultivation in its
area of the so-called Golden Triangle (the northwestern area of
the country), Cohen said. Now, they face a flood of
methamphetamines from Burma. He suggested U.S. forces may be
able to help train the Thai military to combat drugs.
Cohen also briefed the prime minister on the message he
delivered earlier on the trip to Indonesia's leaders -- that the
United States expects them to control their military and to
"disband and disarm" the militias terrorizing the island of
Timor.
The secretary is on a six-nation, nine-day mission in Asia. He
flew to South Korea Sept. 19 to attend a Defense Consultative
Meeting and Military Consultative Meetings, and to visit some of
the 36,000 U.S. service members based in the country. His last
scheduled stop will be in Japan on Sept. 21.
Related Sites of Interest:
| 
AFRTS Radio Report: 
Printer-friendly Version
Email A Copy
Printer Friendly