We will have the opportunity to make further headway next month, when Secretary Christopher will travel to Beijing, and President Clinton will meet with President Jiang Zemin at the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Manila. The third key element of regional stability is democracy and human rights. Put simply, open societies make for better neighbors. Whether in the Asia-Pacific region or around the world, history shows that governments that abuse their citizens at home are also more likely to provoke conflicts or cause problems beyond their borders, whether by spawning refugees, sheltering narcotics traffickers, or damaging the global environment. Of course, we promote the rule of law and human rights not just because it advances our interest in stability, but because doing so is true to our ideals as Americans.
Democracy comes in many forms.
We do not seek to impose our own vision on others. Indeed, the democratic odyssey of countries from Mongolia to Thailand demonstrates that the desire for political freedom is a home-grown commodity, not an American export. Across Asia and around the world, we will continue to speak out on behalf of those who defend universally recognized rights. We will continue to push repressive regimes in places like Burma to pursue national reconciliation and genuine political dialogue. And we will continue to assist new democracies like Cambodia by encouraging the development of political parties and political institutions.