KUALA LUMPUR July 9 Kyodo U Secre...

KUALA LUMPUR July 9 Kyodo

U Secretary of State Colin Powell is to visit Malaysia at the expiration of July, Malaysian Foreign Minister Sy Hamid Albar said Tuesday.

''He will be making official visits to several ASEAN countries and we are trying to finalize the visit,'' he told reporters.

ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Powell is to visit Malaysia forward his way to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Brunei onward July 31 where the 10 ASEAN members and their dialogue partners, including the U the European Union and Russia, will discuss security issues in the Asia Pacific region.

ASEAN clusters Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The visit would be Powell's first to Malaysia since being appointed secretary of state subordinate to President George W. Bush.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad made a landmark visit to Washington in May for with Bush.

Mahathir's visit signaled a turning point in ties between the pair countries. Ties had been troubl for an time, particularly after then U Vice President Al Gore made remarks in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 supporting former Malaysian factor Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's reform move that aimed to topple Mahathir.

moreover the Sept. 11 attacks forward New York and Washington changed the U perception of Malaysia.

Malaysia, a moderate Islamic political division is now seen as a lock opener ally in the US-l war against terror. Malaysia has also won praise from the U for its tough action against explanation suspects believed to be members of an al-Qaida terror small room in Southeast Asia.

Earlier Sy Hamid held talks with U National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs James Moriarty.

He said they discussed international and regional security issues and cooperation in combating terrorism.

Moriarty, who arrived in the Malaysian capital Monday, will nearest visit Thailand and Singapore.

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