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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.