综合一区欧美国产,99国产麻豆免费精品,九九精品黄色录像,亚洲激情青青草,久久亚洲熟妇熟,中文字幕av在线播放,国产一区二区卡,九九久久国产精品,久久精品视频免费

WORLD> America
Biden to head to Asia for congressional trip
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-06 11:40
WASHINGTON -- Joe Biden is heading to Southwest Asia just days before becoming vice president, a visit that signals the new administration's plans to make the troubled region an immediate priority.

US Vice President-elect Joe Biden speaks during a briefing on economic developments and the upcoming economic recovery package in Washington, December 23, 2008. [Agencies]

To protect his security Biden aides won't say which countries he plans to visit, but the geographic description suggests destinations such as Afghanistan, Pakistan or India.

The Delaware senator is leading the bipartisan congressional trip later this week as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, a post he has to resign before becoming vice president on January 20.

An official familiar with the planning of the trip said Biden is going now so the new administration can be ready from its first day to deal with the region. The official said waiting until after the inauguration would create delays of one to two months for an official White House trip to be organized.

The official spoke on a condition of anonymity because details of the trip are not authorized for public release.

The trip is designed to help Biden and the other foreign policy leaders from the Senate he is taking along to get a baseline, on-the-ground assessment and the policy options in each country so they quickly can formulate policies for the region, the official said. It was suggested by the president-elect's national security team.

Joining Biden will be Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the incoming chairman of the committee. Also accompanying the vice president-elect will be Sens. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican. Collins and Graham are members of the Armed Services Committee.

By including Republicans, the incoming administration also is signaling a bipartisan approach to national security problems.

Biden spokeswoman Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement that the delegations "will make it clear to foreign leaders that they are not there to speak on behalf of the US government, or convey policy positions for the incoming administration." But Biden's new status is sure to create intense interest with leaders of the countries he is visiting, who will be looking to him for guidance on the incoming administration.

栾川县| 屯门区| 兴业县| 赤峰市| 甘洛县| 河北区| 疏附县| 志丹县| 巫溪县| 出国| 顺义区| 穆棱市| 鄂托克前旗| 合作市| 黄浦区| 南昌县| 翁牛特旗| 马山县| 惠州市| 镇安县| 塘沽区| 建平县| 凌源市| 土默特左旗| 吉安县| 邢台县| 靖西县| 临朐县| 周至县| 鄂尔多斯市| 金坛市| 青冈县| 榕江县| 南和县| 长治县| 石景山区| 淮南市| 平邑县| 凤山市| 西峡县| 曲沃县|