U.S. presence in Asia-Pacific will continue: Admiral

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, APRIL 20. The ``forward presence'' of the U.S. in the Asia- Pacific region ``is a contribution to peace and stability'' while there is also ``nothing out ahead, from a strategic or an operational perspective, that is going to change that'', said the visiting U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jay L. Johnson, in Singapore today.

He said Washington's ``commitment to the region is absolute.''

``We believe (that) it is in everyone's best interests that we maintain our presence here and we intend to do so,'' Adm. Johnson said.

Noting that ``the U.S. Navy is the forward-presence force'' and that ``the Navy and the Marine Corps rotational forces are out forward all the 365 days a year,'' he expressed Washington's belief that such a posture was ``a great enhancement to peace and stability wherever we (the American forces) go.''

Adm. Johnson was answering media questions after an investiture ceremony at which he was conferred Singapore's Meritorious Service Medal (Military) in the name and style of ``Pingat Jasa Gemllang (Tentera).''

He also called on Dr. Tony Tan, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.

Adm. Johnson and Singapore's Chief of Navy, Rear Adm. Lui Tuck Yew, signed an Implementing Arrangement on the modalities of U.S. forces' access to the Changi naval base as and when completed.

The comments by Adm. Johnson on the current status of the enduring U.S. presence in the Pacific and Asian regions served to reaffirm its political will in the context of notions such as ``pax Americana'' as also Washington's ``Pacific impulse'' and the scenario of a possible ``collision'' among some major powers across this geopolitical spectrum.

On Thursday's agreement with Singapore, Adm. Johnson said: ``The vision of Senior Minister (Mr.) Lee Kuan Yew is now being translated into a reality. ...We are all very proud to be able to sign a document that codifies that relationship'' between Washington and this City-State.

Under this arrangement, ``the U.S. Navy will be able to use and bring ships to the Changi naval base when it becomes operational in the near future ... .in the next couple of years.

``We (the U.S.) will be staying very engaged and working closely with our friends to make sure that, when it (the Changi base) does become operational and we are invited, the U.S. Navy will be, with our ships and with our people, able to take part.''

Asked about U.S. plans to diversify its bilateral naval exercises in the region, Adm. Johnson said: ``We always look for opportunities to increase the scope of these exercises to include more navies from other countries, in our case, but the bilateral basis is the foundation and, then, if we can expand from that we will.''

Singapore and the U.S. have regularly conducted exercises known as the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT).

Adm. Johnson said the ``planning cycle'' was still under way for a Western Pacific submarine rescue exercise later in the year.

He also declined to go into the operational specifics of what the U.S. might do in regard to the atmospherics of a prospective summit between North and South Koreas.

Nor would he define the boundaries of the Western Pacific zone.

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Section  : International
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