sipila
Fri, 20 Apr 2001 21:12:54 -0700
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: "STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN!" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> "Bennett said he thinks Asia is the only place in the world that might have a nation-to-nation military conflict, as opposed to a terrorist-initiated conflict. He was referring to the tensions between North and South Korea and between China and Taiwan." Bennett: Sell Taiwan Defensive, Not Offensive Arms Friday, April 20, 2001 http://www.sltrib.com/04202001/nation_w/90330.htm THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Sen. Bob Bennett doesn't support selling Taiwan weapons that would give the island an offensive military capability, he said Thursday. But he does support selling weapons that allow them to defend themselves. Bennett, R-Utah, returned last week from a 10-day trip to South Korea and Taiwan with three other senators. The trip originally was scheduled to include mainland China, but the seizure of a Navy intelligence-gathering plane and its crew prompted the senators to change plans. He said he was surprised by the extent of militarization in the Koreas. "There are public statements indicating a move toward unification, but you get on the ground and the threat is not gone at all." Bennett said he thinks Asia is the only place in the world that might have a nation-to-nation military conflict, as opposed to a terrorist-initiated conflict. He was referring to the tensions between North and South Korea and between China and Taiwan. Considering the area's volatility, he is leery of giving Taiwan cruise missiles capable of reaching Beijing. Nor does he favor Taiwan's request for diesel-powered submarines. But he does support giving the Taiwanese navy ships with the sophisticated Aegis battle-management radar system. China, compared to Cuba or North Korea, had moved significantly toward integration into the world economy, he said. "Things in China are not black and white," he said. "We don't know what is going on inside there, but my experience is that there is great pulling back and forth and the leadership is not monolithic." © Copyright 2001, The Salt Lake Tribune _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________