Clinton Outlines Troop Plans

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Nov. 15) -- In a White House press briefing on his administration's Bosnia and Zaire policy, President Bill Clinton told reporters that NATO's mission in Bosnia had been a success, but to secure civilian peace he would "in principle" support a continued U.S. troop deployment there.

"I have decided to instruct the U.S. representatives to NATO to inform our allies that, in principle, the United States will take part in a follow on force in Bosnia," the president said. "For my agreement in principle to become a commitment, I must be satisfied that the final recommendations NATO adopts and the operational plan it develops are clear, limited, and achievable."

Heading To The Far East

After a weekend stop in Hawaii, the president on Monday sets off for Australia, the Philippines and Thailand, on a trip meant to underscore the importance of U.S. economic and defense ties to Asian-Pacific nations.

While he's in the Philippines, Clinton also will have a chance to hold important one-on-one meetings with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of Japan and South Korean President Kim Young-sam.

Secretary of State Warren Christopher will set the stage for Clinton's meeting with Jiang when he visits Beijing next week.

After months of acrimony over trade, Chinese war games aimed at intimidating Taiwan and other issues, the visits are seen as evidence that Washington and Beijing are working to overcome their differences.

Exotic settings

Clinton's overseas trip also will give him a chance to project an image as a statesman by mixing with world leaders in exotic settings.

He'll push environmental protection during a visit to the natural grandeur of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, visit with Philippine President Fidel Ramos at Malacanang Palace in Manila and attend a Thai state dinner after touring the opulence of the grand palace grounds in Bangkok.

Mrs. Clinton's itinerary

Hillary Rodham Clinton, too, will have a chance for the type of international diplomacy that has helped her image as an advocate for women and children.

In keeping with her much-debated belief that "it takes a village" to raise a child, Mrs. Clinton will visit a Peace Corps project in a Thai village and tour a Thai school designed to discourage families from selling their young daughters into prostitution.

U.S. alliances in the Pacific

With stops in Sydney, Canberra and Port Douglas, Clinton will underscore U.S. interest in making Australia the southern anchor of U.S. strategy in Asia and the Pacific.

To expand its defense alliance with Australia, the United States has agreed to new joint military maneuvers.

The country is a logical choice as the administration seeks new sites for maneuvers and potential bases after the closure of Clark Air Field and Subic Naval Base in the Philippines, and amid Japanese pressure to reduce the U.S. military presence in Okinawa.

Asian economic interests

In the Philippines, Clinton will attend an annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation organization, which wants to create a vast regional free-trade zone. APEC's 18 member nations already are the source of half the world's trade and are growing.

The group's goal is free trading by 2010 for its richer member countries and 2020 for the poorer ones.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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