Terrorism must be fought within UN framework: Asian, EU leaders<\/p>\n
Agencies, Copenhagen<\/p>\n
European and Asian leaders said that the global fight against
\nterrorism must be conducted within the framework of the United
\nNations as they met for talks on Monday including discussion of
\npossible U.S. strikes on Iraq.<\/p>\n
"The fight against terrorism must be based on the principles
\nof the UN Charter and basic norms of international law," leaders
\nfrom the European Union and 10 Asian countries agreed at an Asia-
\nEurope Meeting (ASEM) in Copenhagen.<\/p>\n
Heads of state and senior government members from the 25
\nnations vowed "to work together to combat this threat to global
\npeace and security, sustainable economic development and
\npolitical stability," in their first such meeting since the Sept.
\n11 attacks.<\/p>\n
The agreement followed talks including the possibility of
\nU.S.-led military action against Iraq, according to a senior EU
\nsource, although the Danish EU presidency refused to comment on
\nthe issue.<\/p>\n
"We emphasize the importance of sustaining the momentum of
\ninternational cooperation against terrorism and the leading role
\nof the United Nations," said the text.<\/p>\n
The declaration appeared to be a possible snub to Washington,
\nafter U.S. President George W. Bush insisted last week that "if
\nthe United Nations Security Council won't deal with the problem,
\nthe United States and some of our friends will."<\/p>\n
But the EU-Asian statement said: "It is essential that the
\ninternational community steadily continue efforts" to improve
\n"international cooperation in anti-terrorism activities,
\nincluding regional... as well as bilateral cooperation."<\/p>\n
Leaders from the two continents -- representing over two
\nbillion people -- also expressed concern at the continuing
\nIsraeli siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a spokesman
\nfor the EU's Danish presidency said.<\/p>\n
"Statements that were made expressed concern about the present
\nsituation in Ramallah," said the spokesman, while adding that the
\nMiddle East was not discussed at length.<\/p>\n
Following on from talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro
\nKoizumi on Sunday, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung told
\ndelegates at the summit's opening ceremony that recent dramatic
\nchanges in North Korea point toward the unification of the
\npeninsula.<\/p>\n
His comments came amid a call for increased diplomatic efforts
\nto bring the communist state's pariah status to an end, a day
\nafter the Japanese and South Korean leaders urged the United
\nStates to pursue dialog with Pyongyang.<\/p>\n
Koizumi briefed his South Korean counterpart on Sunday on his
\ntalks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during a visit on
\nSept. 17, the first ever visit by a Japanese prime minister to
\nNorth Korea.<\/p>\n
The Japanese visit has thrown the diplomatic spotlight on the
\nUnited States, with Bush labeling North Korea part of an "axis of
\nevil."<\/p>\n
Kim also sought backing for his envisioned "Iron Silk Road" to
\nconnect the two continents and said rooting out poverty was key
\nin the fight against international terrorism.<\/p>\n
He said moves to restore road and railway links between the
\ntwo Koreas, which began last week, had "many important
\nramifications" in ties between the two neighbors, which are still
\ntechnically at war nearly 50 years after an armistice halted a
\nbloody conflict.<\/p>\n
"The most significant of all is that the reconnection of the
\nrailways will reduce military tension substantially," he said.<\/p>\n
The summit, the fourth since 1996, draws leaders from the 15
\nEU nations, Japan, China, South Korea and seven members of the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations - Brunei, Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Trade between the EU and their Asian partners has surged to
\nnearly 361 billion euros (dollars) in 2001, up 40 percent from
\n1997 when a financial crisis swept Asian nations.<\/p>\n
EU-Asia summits aim to foster closer ties to rival U.S. trade
\nand political links with Asia.<\/p>\n
The 15 European Union members are Germany, France, Italy,
\nBelgium, Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria,
\nSpain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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