Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Robert Zoellick will take a 10-day trip to Southeast Asia beginning Monday to discuss political, security, and economic issues, the State Department announced today. Zoellick's May 2 to May 11 visit will take him to Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines, deputy spokesman Adam Ereli told reporters. "This will be an opportunity for Deputy Secretary Zoellick to speak to our partners in these countries and seek their views on issues of common economic, political, and security interest, as well as talking about how we might strengthen ties during the second term of President [George W.] Bush," Ereli said. The six countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
