Asia-Pacific foreign ministers wrapped up their annual security summit yesterday adopting a cooperation framework to help the fight against terrorism in the region.
M.C. Abad, an ASEAN official, said the forum's 27 members adopted a framework on transnational crimes, including terrorism, which focuses on ensuring transport security, exchanging information and dealing with the consequences of terrorist acts.
The region faces continuing threats from terrorism and separatist insurgencies in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere. A pact signed on Wednesday by ASEAN and Australia pledged closer cooperation in combating cross-border crimes including terrorism - a mutual concern because both regions have been targeted by al-Qaida-linked militants.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer pointed to the success Southeast Asian countries have had in recent years in fighting terrorism.
"The Indonesians, the Filipinos as well as the Malaysians and Singaporeans have been very successful in tracking down terrorists and in some cases they have killed them," he told reporters.
ASEAN's new chairman, Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo, said the framework was designed to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Yeo said the ministers also discussed maritime security, climate change, and the situations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"The stability of Afghanistan is an urgent task for the international community," Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mitsuo Sakaba said.
(China Daily via agencies August 3, 2007)
