Powell uses democracy meeting to make stand against terrorism

By KEN GUGGENHEIM
Associated Press Writer

LIMA, Peru - The attacks in the United States on Tuesday forced Secretary of State Colin Powell to cut short a Latin American trip, but not before he took a stand for the kind of democracy he said terrorists wanted to destroy.

"They can destroy buildings, they can kill people and we will be saddened by this tragedy, but they will never be allowed to kill the spirit of democracy," Powell told Organization of American States foreign ministers in Lima.

The ministers were meeting to approve an agreement setting democratic standards for all 34 active OAS member nations. While his airplane was being prepared for the unexpected departure, Powell attended the start of the session.

"You can be sure that America will deal with this tragedy in a way that brings those responsible to justice," he told the ministers. "You can be sure that as terrible a day as this is for us, we will get through it because we are a strong nation, a nation that believes in itself."

Aboard his plane later, Powell called the attack "a well-coordinated extensive assault against the United States."

He said he wouldn't speculate about who was behind the attacks: "There has been no reputable claim of responsibility that's been made yet."

Powell's chief spokesman, Richard Boucher, later declined to comment about how the United States might retaliate if it identifies those responsible.

Powell said he was in touch with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice. He said he was unable to get a communications link to Bush immediately.

The secretary said he also was in touch with foreign leaders. The State Department said he and Armitage have spoken with the heads of the United Nations and NATO.

Powell said diplomatic missions were put on alert and told to be in touch with host governments not only for security purposes, but also in case they had information about the attacks.

Powell learned that two planes had crashed into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center when an aide handed him a note during a meeting with Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo.

"As he looked at the note, he said 'Oh my God, this is horrible news,"' Boucher said.

Aides handed him two more notes during the meeting and Powell decided to return to Washington.

Powell had planned to travel to Colombia later Tuesday and return home Wednesday. With his plane needing time to be prepared for the longer flight, Powell decided to attend the start of the OAS meeting.

Boucher said Powell wanted to be "part of the democracy charter on the day that democracy was under attack."

The charter sets democratic standards for member nations, including free and fair elections, a separation of powers, free speech and respect for human rights. Nations failing to meeting those standards could be suspended.

The OAS ministers accommodated Powell by pushing the charter approval to the top of the agenda, allowing him to be present for its passage. They also adopted a resolution condemning the attacks and offered a minute of silence for the victims.

APNP-09-11-01 1953CDT