Albright Calls for Continuity in Foreign PolicyUS Secretary of State Madeleine Albright urged the incoming administration Tuesday to build on what the Clinton administration has achieved in diplomatic affairs and called for continuity in U.S. foreign policies."Foreign policy doesn't come in four-year blocks, there is a continuum," Albright said to reporters at a newly-opened briefing room in the State Department. She made the remark in response to a question on whether the next administration should continue involvement in the Balkans. Both President-elect George W. Bush and Secretary of State-designate Colin Powell have called for a review of US policy in the Balkans and suggested a withdrawal of US troops from the region. "I believe the story in the Balkans is not finished and the next administration needs to keep in mind that our presence there is very important," Albright said. She also defended Clinton's involvement in the Middle East peace process, noting that despite frustration over the increasing unlikely chances for a deal by January 20, Washington would keep pushing. "I think that what is evident is that there are many issues out there for the next administration that need to have attention paid, " she said. She expressed hope that "there is as much attention given to issues of Africa as we have given; that there continues to be support for Plan Colombia and our relations with Latin America, which we have raised to a new level; that we continue to work very carefully with the Russians on a whole host of issues." The secretary, who paid a visit to Pyongyang last October, also hoped that the Bush team would pick up where the Clinton administration left off on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. |
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