Powell lays out 'key issues' for Bush administration's international policy

By CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel and Producer Elise Labott

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- While attorney general nominee John Ashcroft was grilled by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, retired Gen. Colin Powell was welcomed with open arms by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Powell, the secretary of state-designee, was welcomed warmly by each member of the committee.

Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, who introduced him, compared Powell to his heroes Thomas Jefferson and George Marshall. Several committee members said they expected the full Senate to approve Powell's nomination unanimously.

Even the notoriously gruff chairman of the committee, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-North Carolina, gushed over Powell, saying that in choosing the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be his secretary of state, President-elect George W. Bush "hit a home run."

'No better qualified person'

"I can imagine no better qualified person to serve as the first U.S. secretary of state in the 21st century," Helms said, adding several times that Powell could count on his unwavering support.

While it fell short of a "world vision" for the United States in the new century, Powell's prepared remarks covered the gamut of key international policy issues facing the United States, from the importance of maintaining a strong NATO to the link between the Internet, free markets and democracy.

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On NATO, Powell called the alliance the "bedrock" of the U.S. relationship with Europe. He encouraged NATO expansion and welcomed Europe's move toward a united defense system.

Powell said the United States should not fear Russia's concerns over NATO, insisting the U.S. relationship with Russia must not "be dictated by any fear on our part."

He also pressed for Russian economic, social and political reform and urged Moscow to stop proliferation of missile technology and nuclear weapons abroad.

"Russia is a country that can gain enormous benefits from its relationship with us," he said. "But that relationship can only be a strong and successful one if Russia does what it needs to do."

A good deal of Powell's testimony examined the U.S. relationship with its Asia-Pacific allies, urging stronger ties with India, Australia and Indonesia.

Calling China "a competitor and a potential regional rival," he also insisted the United States should see Beijing as a partner in trade and international policy issues in the region, including how it views North Korea.

'A strategic partner China is not'

"A strategic partner China is not," Powell said. "But neither is China our inevitable and implacable foe."

Encouraging the "one China policy" for Taiwan, he urged Beijing not to impose reunification and insisted the United States will assist Taiwan on defense matters.

"Mindful of the work that has been done" by the Clinton administration with North Korea, Powell said, he would consider the recent easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Welcoming the dialogue between North and South Korea, Powell encouraged engagement of the North, and he insisted the United States would abide by its commitments under the 1994 Agreed Framework, provided the North did the same.

Under the pact, North Korea pledged to freeze its nuclear programs in exchange for some $5 billion in U.S. nuclear power technology and other energy supplies.

While insisting the Bush administration would remain involved in the Middle East peace process, Powell suggested a more regional approach. The U.S., he said, will focus on "the region as a whole, not just on the peace process itself."

He also promised to "re-energize" sanctions imposed against Iraq after Baghdad's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Powell said the United States will remain "vigilant," and "ready to respond to provocations" by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Powell suggested the United States would pay more attention to Latin America in the coming years. In addition to supporting Colombia in its drug war with the U.S.-sponsored Plan Colombia, he promised to look at instability in Ecuador, Peru and Haiti. He said the Bush administration would look at free trade agreements with several countries and the United States throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Call for more attention to Africa

Departing from Bush's suggestion that Africa does not fit in with America's interests, Powell called for more attention to that continent, with more consideration for free trade with the region.

"We need to maintain our outreach to Africa," he said. "And with more substance."

Responding to concerns that President-elect Bush would follow an isolationist policy, Powell insisted the Bush administration would not withdraw the United States to what he called "an island of isolationism."

But he promised U.S. policy would follow America's national interests, rather than the "crisis of the day."

"There is no inclination whatsoever to have our nation withdraw from the world into a fortress of protectionism," Powell said. "No ally, friend or enemy will ever be unclear about where we stand on a matter that touches our heart and soul and basic interests."

The concern is driven by comments by Bush and his aides that they plan to withdraw more than 10,000 troops stationed in the Balkans. Powell said that the president would cut the U.S. presence there "over time and in consultation with our allies."

Commitment to missile defense system

With nearly 35 years of service to the U.S. military, Powell's remarks in large part dealt with defense issues; specifically the Bush administration's decision to build a national missile defense.

Several Democratic members of the committee voiced concern that the Bush administration would rush to deploy such a missile defense without careful consideration. While promising to address the "diplomatic ramifications" of such a move on U.S. allies, Powell remained steadfast to Bush's commitments to go ahead with the construction of the system.

Saying the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty negotiated with Russia was "probably no longer relevant," he promised to "persuade the Russians of the need to move beyond it."

At times, the hearing sounded more like a confirmation for a defense secretary, momentarily confusing Powell himself.

"I am proud to be the first African-American secretary of defense," he said, quickly catching the error and correcting it to "secretary of state."

"Old habits die hard," Powell said as the gallery laughed.