As the organizers of tonight's event have indicated, there has never been a more critical time to pursue the Rotary's longstanding objective of promoting world peace and understanding. I am confident that our discussion here tonight will contribute to that worthy cause.

I would like to say a few words about my country's overall approach to the fight against terrorism, about how this relates to our other foreign policy objectives, and to address some of the specific concerns in this region.

For the United States, Malaysia, and most countries around the world, the past few months have revealed the frightening prospect of deadly terrorists living undetected in our midst. Now more than ever, we all appreciate the value of working together intensively to counter this phenomenon that threatens our way of life and could destroy the prosperity we have all achieved in recent decades.

As you all know, after September I I the coalition led by the United States tookin military action to disrupt the al Qaeda organization of Osama bin Laden by overthrowing the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan that had provided a haven for that terrorist organization. The military victory of the coalition forces against the Taliban was swift and decisive, but much remains to be done. We are determined to track down and eliminate al Qaeda forces and other terrorist organizations of global reach wherever they may be. We also continue to pursue the objective of capturing Bin Laden and bringing him to justice. We firmly believe that the successful accomplishment of this objective will not only ensure the security of our own homeland but also make for a more peaceful world.

Our military objectives in Afghanistan have not changed. Our intention is to destroy the al-Qaeda network there and to neutralize Osama bin Laden. The air and ground campaign against AlQaeda will continue as long as it takes to do the job. Let me emphasize that we are not acting out of a desire for revenge. Rather, this is a war of self-defense. Bin Laden and his fellow murderers have made clear that they intend to strike at us again. Whether the target is in the United States or abroad, we have a fundamental obligation to protect our citizens, and we will take strong military steps to prevent future attacks.

My government remains focused on the situation in Afghanistan. As Secretary of State Colin Powell has said, "we are committed to doing everything we can to assist in this time of transition to a new Afghanistan, an Afghanistan where people will be able to live in peace and security, raise their children, dream of a better future."

The United States believes that stability in Afghanistan will be closely linked to the success of a broadly representative government and an accompanying economic reconstruction. Moreover, we believe that an enduring peace in Afghanistan and a prosperous future will depend on the observance of basic human rights for all, including women and children, and the observance of the rule of law.

There are tremendous humanitarian and reconstruction challenges facing the world community in Afghanistan. But the United States has rolled up its sleeves and is ready to do its part. Over the past year and a half the U.S. has spent over $384 million to help Afghans in the areas of education, agriculture, water and sanitation, health care, infrastructure, shelter and food. Since last October we have provided more than $32 million to help refugees return to their homes in Afghanistan. The Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan last month produced pledges of over $4.5 billion from countries around the world directed at long-term solutions to the pressing humanitarian needs there.

Let me say a few words about the broader struggle against terrorism. I am frequently asked what the United States plans to do next, in particular whether we are planning further military operations elsewhere in the world. As far as I know no decisions have been taken yet, but the answer will depend in large part on the responses of individual countries to our President's warning and on their willingness to cooperate in reducing the terrorist challenge the world is facing.

I can assure you that our determination is unwavering. As President Bush has made clear since the first days after September 11 , the United States will follow the evidence trail wherever it leads and will take whatever action is called for, be it military, law enforcement or diplomatic.

President Bush's specific mention of Iran, Iraq, and North Korea in his recent State of the Union address has attracted a lot of attention. The point to remember is that in that speech the President identified two primary sources of danger and instability in the world: the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. These threats directly overlap and reinforce each other: many states that seek nuclear, chemical and biological weapons also sponsor terrorism. North Korea, Iran and Iraq are all aggressively pursuing weapons of mass destruction.

Each of these regimes has a choice to make. The international community should encourage them to make the responsible choice, but we also must stand together if they make the wrong choice and continue down the path they are on today.

We all must make clear to these states that if they want to be part of a twenty-first century that is founded on democracy and freedom and the peaceful pursuit of economic development, they are welcome. But this means they cannot sponsor aggressive behavior, they must not develop weapons of mass destruction to threaten their neighbors and must not support terrorists.

All countries must rededicate themselves to stopping the spread of weapons of mass destruction wherever that threat arises. There is no room for complacency or apologies in dealing with this overwhelming threat to our common interests.

As recent arrests in Singapore and Malaysia illustrate, the threat of terrorism is not directed only at the United States. It is very clear that Malaysia is part of the solution, not part of the problem, in the struggle against terrorism.

Your government has taken strong steps against domestic terrorism, and its cooperation on counter terrorism with my government has been excellent. That cooperation is not a one-way street. The traffic moves in both directions as our two governments grapple with terrorist threats. We look forward to continued close coordination between our two countries and, hopefully, within the region.

I have been distressed to hear some suggesting here in Malaysia and elsewhere that the fight against terrorism is diverting the U.S. from our traditional concerns about democracy and human rights. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We continue to uphold the values upon which our nation was founded, including strong support for personal liberties and the protection of individuals from repressive governments. This will be underlined next week, when the State Department releases the Country Human Rights Reports for the year 2001.

In fact, it is the terrorists who are determined to undermine the values we cherish by threatening the very foundations upon which democracy and human rights are based. Their threat is directed at all nations that seek to promote freedom, prosperity and economic opportunity for their citizens.

Our fight against terrorism is about more than merely eliminating a threat. It has to do with deciding the nature of the common future we all will share, and fighting to make it happen.

The struggle against terror must be won if we are to make progress together in building the prosperous, tolerant, secure and democratic world that the vast majority of the world's people aspire to. We have reached a critical point in human history, and together we will shape the world our children's children will inherit. Success in this endeavor will be the surest way to ensure that they will be able to live in true peace.

Thank you very much.