Clinton in Laos, the first U.S. secretary of state in 57 years
Vientiane
(AsiaNews / Agencies) - Hillary Clinton arrived in Laos today, becoming the
first U.S. Secretary of State to visit the country in 57 years. A
trip already defined "historic", which will address the Vietnam War
and the controversial Xayaburi dam, the mega hydro-electric plant, the center
of controversy for the environmental impact on the Mekong and the people who
live along the River. The
last U.S. official to visit Laos was John Foster Dulles in 1955.
Fresh
from Vietnam, after Laos, Clinton will travel to Cambodia, where the ASEAN
Summit is underway. "My
trip - said the U.S. Secretary of State - reflects the strategic priority of
American foreign policy. After 10 years of focuse on the conflicts in
Afghanistan and Iraq, we want to increase our investments - diplomatic,
economic, strategic - in
this part of the world. "
Costing
3.8 billion US dollars, the Xayaburi Dam project has caused tensions between
Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, countries around the Mekong.
Regarding
the Vietnam War, the effects of Agent Orange will be discussed during the visit,
a powerful herbicide used by the United States between 1961 and 1979, allegedly
responsible for diseases, birth defects and cancers among the people
involved in the Vietnam War and veterans.
In
Cambodia, where she will arrive at the end of this week, Clinton will meet with
representatives of 10 nations of ASEAN countries (Southeast Asia). The
goal is to establish a code
of conduct for the South China Sea, in order to resolve disputes over
territorial boundaries which have pitted the Philippines, China and Vietnam
against eachother.
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