| Press Statement Sean McCormack, Spokesman Washington, DC July 14, 2006 Secretary Rice's Travel to AsiaSecretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Asia July 24-29, visiting Japan (July 24-25), China (July 25-26), the Republic of Korea (July 26-27), Malaysia (July 27-28) and Vietnam (July 28-29) for discussions with senior government officials on bilateral, regional, and global issues of concern including North Korea, Iraq and Iran; and to participate in ASEAN-related meetings in Kuala Lumpur on July 27-28. These are the Secretary's first visits to Malaysia and Vietnam, and her first meeting with the new Vietnamese leadership. In Kuala Lumpur, the Secretary will meet with the ASEAN Foreign Ministers July 27 and will sign the Framework Agreement for the Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN – U.S. Enhanced Partnership announced when the President met ASEAN leaders at APEC last November. The Secretary will participate in the 13th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting July 28, where she will work to strengthen cooperation on nonproliferation of WMD, counterterrorism, and maritime security, and to further the international response to North Korea’s missile launches and pursuit of nuclear weapons, Iran's nuclear programs, and the lack of progress toward real democracy and national reconciliation in Burma. 2006/680
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