MORE Pics – PROTEST against CONDOLEZZA RICE Presence at ASEAN CONFERENCE in KL Annual Asean-U.S Dialogue and the Asean Regional Forum

Th protesters with the placards and shouting "US, Get Out"

Protesters shouting "US, Get Out, US, Get Out"

More than 200 activists and opposition groups opposed to US decision on the Middle East protest Condolezza Rice US Secretary of STATE presence at the conference in KLCC - waiving banners and chanting anti-US slogans - “US GET OUT”

Tian Chua from Keadilan party adddressing the
protesters under the watchful eyes of the FRU

The protesters were blocked from entering the KLCC Conference Venue. They called for Rice to be barred from attending the conference over US Support for Israeli offensive against Palestine and Lebanon. A memorandum was later conveyed to the Asean delegates calling for louder Asean voice to end the West Asian conflict.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived at the Royal Malaysia Air Force base in Subang for the annual Asean-U.S Dialogue and the Asean Regional Forum. Rice, who is on her first visit to Malaysia, was received by U.S Ambassador to Malaysia Christopher J. LaFleur

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived here Thursday for dialogues with her Asean colleagues and partners in the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), which she skipped last year.

The special US Air Force jet that flew her here touched down at the Subang airport at 2.20pm.
Rice, who is on her first visit to Malaysia, was received by Foreign Ministry officials.

She was accompanied by European Union Council Secretary-General Javier Solana and Canadian Foreign Minister Peter Mackey.

Fresh from a diplomatic mission in West Asia where Israel is waging war against Lebanon, Rice is expected to brief the Asean foreign ministers at the Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) on the latest development and steps to end the conflict.

She will do the same when she calls on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also the Asean chairman, at Parliament House later today.

Rice will discuss the issue with Abdullah as chairman of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) which is concerned with the tension in the region.

Besides meeting the Asean foreign ministers, Rice will sign the Framework Agreement for the Plan of Action to implement the Asean-US Enhanced Partnership.

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (left) shakes hand with Malaysia Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar after the signing ceremony of the Framework Agreement for the Plan of Action to Implement the Asean-U.S Enhanced Partnership on the sidelines of the 13th Asean Regional Forum at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). The five-year pact, also signed by all 10 Asean foreign ministers, will boost trade, investment and political ties which could pave the way for the Asean-U.S free trade agreement.


Tomorrow she will participate in the ARF, where she is expected to raise issues of cooperation on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, counter-terrorism and maritime security.

She will also seek further international response to North Korea's missile launching, Iran's nuclear programme and the national reconciliation process in Myanmar.

Rice and Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar will also sign an agreement on the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty to enhance cooperation in tackling cross-border criminal activities, mainly through the exchange of intelligence between the legal authorities of both countries.

Reining In All Forces In Lebanon Key To Ending Conflict, Says Rice

By Jamaluddin Muhammad and Abdul Muin Abdul Majid

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the ability of the Lebanese government to control all forces and arms in that country was key towards resolving the Lebanon-Israel conflict.

"There should be no militias," she told a press conference at the end of the Asean-led Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) here Thursday, apparently alluding to Hizbollah fighters in Lebanon battling the Israeli army for the past two weeks. The bloody fightings have claimed about 400 lives on both sides of the divide.

She said reigning in the forces and arms in Lebanon as well as having United Nations-mandated international troops in the country formed a basis for seeking an end to the crisis.

Expressing her country's deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Lebanon, Rice said she was ready to go back to West Asia "at any time that I think we can move towards a sustainable ceasefire that can end the violence."

Hizbollah and Israel have been trading fire power following reports that the fighters had captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid on July 12.

Hizbollah claimed that they were retaliating over the abduction of Lebanese and Palestinians, including Palestinian ministers, by the Israelis.

Israeli forces have also launched attacks on Gaza in Palestine after one of its soldiers was kidnapped by Hamas.

Rice had attended a crisis talk on Lebanon in Rome and also met key players in the West Asian conflict zone before flying to Malaysia to attend the PMC involving talks between Asean and its dialogue partners and the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), a multilateral security forum in the Asia-Pacific region.

Elaborating on US concern over the humanitarian aspect of the conflict, she said: "We are working urgently to try and make possible for aid supplies to get to the people of Lebanon. We are of course concerned about the deaths of innocent civilians -- Israelis, Lebanese and Palestinians"

She reiterated commitment "to urgent work to try and bring a resolution of that conflict."

Asked whether she would try to broker talks between Prime Ministers Fouad Siniora and Ehud Olmert of Lebanon and Israel, Rice responded that she had yet to determine her further travels after Malaysia.

Meanwhile, European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Javier Solana said that part of the solution to the Lebanon-Israel crisis might be the deployment of international forces alongside the Lebanese army to enable Beirut to have full control of the geography and security of the country.

This, he said, would include the southern part of Lebanon and its northern boundaries with Syria.

"For that, we will be willing to help the UN Security Council adopt a resolution in that direction," he said.

Israel has alleged, among others, that arms are smuggled into the hands of the Hizbollah via the Lebanese border with Syria.

While security of Lebanon is largely maintained by the Lebanese army, the southern part of the country is controlled by Hizbollah. Solana said: "If that resolution exists, we hope it (deployment of international force) will be possible.

"The Europeans would be willing to take some responsibility, not alone but with other bodies as well. The Europeans are ready to contribute to that force," he added. Meanwhile in the evening it was dinner time and she mamaged to entertain dinner guest with he playing the piano.

Rice Rises To The Occasion At Gala Dinner; July 27, 2006 22:04 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice rose to the occasion at a gala dinner tonight for delegates of the annual meeting of Asean foreign ministers and their dialogue partners as well as the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) here.

An accomplished pianist, Rice played the piano for 10 minutes at the dinner, which was hosted by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar at a hotel here.

The Asean foreign ministers entertained the dinner guests with a rendition of the Asean theme song, "Asean Our Way".

The guests were also entertained to cultural dances and a performance by Malaysian artistes Syafinaz and Nassier Wahab. Among the guests were Asean Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong and Timor Leste Prime Minister Dr Jose Ramos-Horta and his officials who are here to attend the ARF meeting.