Terrorism deadly threat to ASEAN's future: Brunei<\/p>\n
Agencies, Bandar Seri Begawan<\/p>\n
Terrorism threatens to destroy the ASEAN grouping if it cannot
\nensure regional security, the Sultan of Brunei warned on Monday
\nat the opening of a Southeast Asian foreign ministers'
\nconference.<\/p>\n
In a frank assessment of the future for the 10-nation bloc,
\nSultan Hassanal Bolkiah said terrorism has put regional economic
\nsecurity at risk.<\/p>\n
\"Without peace and stability, all ASEAN's work will ultimately
\nfounder,\" he said in the opening address to the meeting.<\/p>\n
The focus of the talks, which expand later in the week to take
\nin ASEAN's key allies including the United States, China and
\nJapan, is on drawing up a counter-terrorism plan, and a roadmap
\nto ensure a regional economic recovery.<\/p>\n
The terrorism threat, which erupted with the Sept. 11
\natrocities, came as most Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN) economies were still recovering from the 1997 Asian
\nfinancial crisis which battered the region.<\/p>\n
\"For hundreds of millions of people we represent, the most
\npressing item on our regional agenda is economic progress,\" the
\nSultan said, but underlining its inextricable link to the
\nterrorism threat.<\/p>\n
\"As an association we succeed or fail on the durability of
\npeace and stability in Southeast Asia. That has always been the
\npre-requisite for lasting cooperation. Unless it exists, we
\ncannot bring economic and social benefits to our people. That is
\nwhere I see terrorism's greatest threat.\"<\/p>\n
ASEAN and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell are expected to
\nsign the agreement during the Asia-Pacific region's largest
\nannual security meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.<\/p>\n
The accord would increase U.S. technical and financial aid
\nagainst terrorism, increase sharing of intelligence information
\nand build closer ties between law enforcement agencies in each
\nnation.<\/p>\n
It originally stipulated that Washington would act in
\naccordance with \"the principles of sovereign equality,
\nterritorial integrity and ... nonintervention in the domestic
\naffairs of other states.\"<\/p>\n
The new wording, changed at Washington's request, says only
\nthat it \"recognizes\" such principles.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Vietnam initially objected to the revision,
\nfearing it would dilute sovereignty and allow the United States
\nto send ground troops to the region. But ASEAN foreign ministers
\nsay military operations would be left to individual countries.<\/p>\n
Southeast Asia has become a second front in the war on
\nterrorism, with U.S. troops helping fight Abu Sayyaf guerrillas
\nin the Philippines, and Malaysia and Singapore arresting scores
\nof alleged al-Qaeda-linked extremists accused of plotting bomb
\nattacks.<\/p>\n
The region's leaders want to end the perception that their
\nnations are a possible launching ground for terror.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Vietnam have said they will support the pact,
\nthough diplomats said Vietnam was concerned about technical
\npoints in naming agencies that would communicate with other
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Singapore Foreign Minister Shanmugam Jayakumar said the draft
\ndocument was \"very close to finalization.\" \"I think it's a good
\ndraft,\" Jayakumar said. \"It emphasizes that ASEAN wants to work
\nwith the United States.\"<\/p>\n
Powell arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, early Monday from a
\nweekend visit to India and Pakistan and comes to Brunei late
\nTuesday. U.S. officials said that no final agreement had been
\nreached on the proposed anti-terrorism pact.<\/p>\n
The ministers are also expected to finalize wording over a
\nproposed accord with China on preventing military clashes in the
\nSouth China Sea, where many have overlapping territorial claims
\nover the Spratly islands and other areas rich in oil and
\nfisheries.<\/p>\n
After three years of unsuccessful ASEAN negotiations on a
\nlegally binding \"code of conduct\" for disputed areas, Malaysia
\nhas proposed a nonbinding political declaration that would only
\nhave moral force.<\/p>\n
The security meeting later in the week, called the ASEAN
\nRegional Forum, brings the Southeast Asians together with 13
\nother nations with strategic interests in the region, including
\nthe United States, China, India, Japan, both Koreas, Russia,
\nAustralia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
In addition to discussions on terrorism and the South China
\nSea, talks are expected to include tensions between North and
\nSouth Korea following a recent naval clash, and infiltrations in
\nKashmir that are keeping India and Pakistan on a war footing.<\/p>\n
The forum is expected to announce steps to cut the flow of
\nfunds to suspected terrorist groups, including the freezing of
\nbank accounts.<\/p>",
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