Panetta wants more US access to Vietnam harbor [View all]

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_PANETTA_VIETNAM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-06-03-07-57-19

CAM RANH BAY, VIETNAM (AP) -- From the flight deck of the USNS Richard E. Byrd, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta could look out across Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay towards the South China Sea.

A day after laying out details of the Pentagon's new focus on the Asia-Pacific region, Panetta used a visit to Vietnam to restate the United States' intent to help allies in the region develop and enforce maritime rights in the sea, a waterway largely claimed by China. And he reflected on the significance of the harbor, which represents both a painful past for the American military, and a challenging but hopeful future.

"The new defense strategy that we have put in place for the United States represents a number of key elements that will be tested in the Asia-Pacific region," Panetta told reporters gathered Sunday under a blazing sun on the deck of the cargo vessel. He said the U.S. would "work with our partners like Vietnam to be able to use harbors like this as we move our ships from our ports on the West Coast towards our stations here in the Pacific."

Panetta never mentioned China as he spoke to crew members on the Byrd and later to reporters. But with the South China Sea as a backdrop, he made it clear that the U.S. will maintain a strong presence in the region and wants to help allies protect themselves and their maritime rights.



***the past is never really dead.