Terror, weapons concern Bush

Bush arrived in Singapore today.
SINGAPORE (AP) -- President Bush pressed for more Asian help in the war on terror today, carrying his appeal to Singapore after winning a pledge from regional leaders to curb illicit weapons.
Bush failed to win explicit endorsement by the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum for a new U.S.-led diplomatic initiative to end a yearlong nuclear standoff with North Korea. And North Korea's firing of a short-range missile -- possibly two -- appeared to undercut progress toward an agreement.
However, the leaders called for resumption of multinational negotiations to resolve the impasse. The call was made by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who chaired the annual APEC summit, and he spoke with the other leaders flanking him.
Bush came up empty in getting Asian allies to back U.S. efforts to persuade China to end an exchange-rate policy that U.S. manufacturers and politicians of both parties claim is costing American jobs.
Arrived in Singapore
Bush arrived in Singapore today, ready to meet with President S.R. Nathan and have dinner with Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Bush's trip was his first to Singapore, and just the second by a U.S. president. Bush's father met Goh here in January 1992.
Singapore has been Southeast Asia's staunchest U.S. ally in the war on terror, arresting more than 30 suspected Islamic militants since 2001 for investigation of plotting to blow up the U.S. Embassy and other Western targets here.
"I'm very happy with the government of Singapore's response to terrorism. They are strong and they are resolute," Bush said in an interview last week with Channel News Asia. "They understand the task at hand. And they understand the dangers."
Bush was spending the night in the city-state before heading on Wednesday to Bali, Indonesia, site of nightclub bombings last Oct. 12, which killed 202 people. Indonesia's security minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, warned Monday that "the threat of terrorist attacks is imminent."
Bush last month signed a free-trade agreement with Singapore -- the first such accord between the United States and an Asian country -- and was expected to extol the benefits of free trade during today's visit.
Earlier, in Bangkok, Bush also announced his administration was launching free-trade negotiations with Thailand. The United States already has free-trade pacts with Chile, Israel, Jordan, Canada and Mexico.
Bush has said that free trade "is vital to the creation of jobs." But critics say the agreements could cost U.S. jobs by giving companies an incentive to move to cheaper labor markets.
Singapore is America's 12th-largest trading partner with two-way transactions worth about $40 billion annually.
Caning
Relations turned chilly in 1994, when Singapore authorities, over objections from then-President Bill Clinton, caned American teenager Michael Fay for spray-painting cars.
Personal relations between both countries' leaders have since turned chummy.
Bush told Singapore's Straits Times newspaper in an interview that he thought Goh was a "very savvy man."
Ahead of Bush's visit, Goh said terrorism in Asia cannot be stopped unless countries prevent extremist Islamic teachers from producing new militants.
Before flying to Singapore, Bush participated in meetings that closed the APEC forum.
In a final declaration, the Asia-Pacific leaders called for a crackdown against terrorist groups and tougher steps to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
The final communique did not specifically mention North Korea's nuclear threat, although U.S. officials said North Korea was alluded to in the call for all countries to "eliminate the severe and growing danger problem posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."
Exchange-rate policy
The Bush administration got no help from its Asian allies in its efforts to pressure China to end an exchange-rate policy that pegs its yuan to the U.S. dollar.
U.S. manufacturers claim that leaves the Chinese currency roughly 40 percent overvalued, keeping down the price of Chinese products in the United States but making it harder for American companies to compete and resulting in continued erosion of U.S. jobs.
Bush was also looking ahead to stops in Indonesia and Australia -- both shaping up as tense countries as his visit drew near.
Warships patrolled the seas and armored vehicles took up positions near the international airport as Indonesia's bomb-scarred Bali island prepared for the visit. The country's security minister said a new terror attack was "imminent."
An unprecedented security clampdown also awaited Bush in Australia, where thousands of demonstrators were expected to protest Bush's visit.
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