Our Veep making an impression on the Malaysian hosts, from Yahoo:
Monday November 16, 1:51 pm Eastern Time
APEC-FOCUS-U.S., Malaysia row flares at summit
By Andrew Browne
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The United States and Japan offered $10 billion in aid for battered Asia on Monday, but their generosity came with a blunt lecture by U.S. Vice President Al Gore on democracy that a furious Malaysia condemned as ''disgusting.''
The funds are aimed at shoring up the region's ailing banks and debt-laden corporations.
Japan has already offered $30 billion of aid to its stricken neighbours.
Both countries have contributed massively to International Monetary Fund rescue packages worth more than $100 billion for Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea.
Shortly before the package was unveiled at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Gore made a pitch for more democracy as a cure for the region's twin curses of cronyism and corruption.
At a dinner for APEC business leaders, he saluted as ''brave people'' anti-government supporters of sacked Malaysian finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, sparking outrage from his hosts.
Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz, spitting anger, told reporters on her way out of the dinner it was ''the most disgusting speech I've heard in my life.''
''To me, as a government minister, we are disgusted,'' she declared.
Asked about the $5 billion offered by Washington, Rafidah said: ''I don't care. To me it's not worth five cents.''
On Sunday, Rafidah exchanged barbed comments with Madeleine Albright at a news conference as the U.S. Secretary of State said a meeting with Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was ''perfectly appropriate.''
Anwar, whose free-market and pro-reform policies led to a falling out with Prime Minister Hahathir Mohamad, was sacked on September 2 and arrested 18 days later after leading thousands of supporters shouting ''reformasi'' and clamouring for Mahathir to quit after 17 years in power.
Gore lauded the protesters, keeping on the boil a bubbling row over Anwar that has distracted from APEC's so far feeble efforts to liberalise trade.
And to give his comments added weight, the White House said they reflected President Bill Clinton's own views.
''Democracy confers a stamp of legitimacy that reforms must have in order to be effective,'' said Gore, standing in for Clinton
who cancelled his APEC trip to deal with the crisis with Iraq.
''And so, among nations suffering economic crises, we continue to hear calls for democracy, calls for reform in many languages
-- People's Power, Doi Moi, Reformasi,'' he said.
''We hear them today -- right here, right now -- among the brave people of Malaysia.''
Doi Moi is the Vietnamese phrase for changes promised by the communist government.
The appeal for reformasi was first heard on the streets of Jakarta and snowballed into a movement that brought down former President Suharto after three decades of autocratic power.
Details of the $10 billion package were announced in a joint statement issued by Clinton and Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
The funds were intended to kick-start recovery in the region now that the worst of the crisis appears to be over.
''Several of the countries hardest hit by the crisis have made great strides in recent months toward restoring stability,'' the statement said.
''The major challenge they face today is restarting growth as quickly as possible,'' the leaders said.
''To support this effort, Japan and the United States, with the support of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, are launching the Asian Growth and Recovery Initiative.''
Details of the iniative were vague, although the statement said it provided a combined $5 billion from Japan, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to serve as a catalyst for private financing.
The United States will provide the other $5 billion through Export-Import Bank trade financing programmes and Overseas
Private Investment Corporation insurance programmes.
The 21 leaders of APEC are scheduled to meet in a summit on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Sunday, ministers failed to reach agreement on a fast-track market opening package covering $1.5 trillion in trade, and instead decided to send it to the World Trade Organisation after an acrimonious two-day meeting.
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