Terrorism not in AIPO agenda<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Legislators from ASEAN countries will begin their four-day
\nmeeting here on Monday amid fears of possible fresh terrorist
\nattacks ahead of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks
\nin the United States in 2001.<\/p>\n
The meeting would discuss several strategic issues, including
\ntransnational crime, migrant workers, and maritime cooperation
\namong members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN).<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung, in his capacity as president of
\nthe ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO), is scheduled
\nto open the meeting in a ceremony to be attended by President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Delegates from ASEAN members and several observers have
\nconfirmed their participation in the meeting which last until
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
ASEAN consists of Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines,
\nSingapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, Myanmar, and Brunei
\nDarussalam.<\/p>\n
Legislators from Myanmar and Brunei Darussalam, however, will
\njoin the 24th AIPO meeting as observers, alongside delegates from
\nthe so-called dialog partners China, Japan, and South Korea.<\/p>\n
\"This is an annual meeting that has been organized since
\n1978,\" Indonesian legislator Prasetya told The Jakarta Post on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
Terrorism is conspicuously absent from the lawmakers' agenda,
\ndespite the fact that some ASEAN members, notably Indonesia and
\nthe Philippines, had become easy targets of terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
At least 202 people were killed when two powerful bombs went
\noff at two popular nightclubs in Denpasar, Bali last Oct. 12.
\nLast Aug. 5, a car bomb exploded in the driveway of the JW
\nMarriot Hotel in South Jakarta, killing at least 12 people and
\ninjuring more than 140 others.<\/p>\n
Security personnel have been on a high alert following
\nterrorist threats ahead of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11
\nattacks in Washington and New York, both in the United States.<\/p>\n
Prasetya, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives'
\nInter Parliamentary Cooperation Body (BKSAP), said the
\nlegislators would also discuss legislation on the implementation
\nof the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA).<\/p>\n
As soon as the legislators end their meeting on Friday, Akbar
\nTandjung will hand over the AIPO presidency to the Cambodian
\ndelegate. Akbar received the AIPO chairmanship from Vietnam last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Prasetya, who is from the military\/police faction, said the
\ndelegates would convene in four committees to discuss political,
\neconomic, social, and organizational matters respectively.<\/p>\n
Two other committees will hold discussions with observers from
\nBrunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Japan, Korea, and China and will
\nprepare a joint statement to be issued at the end of the meeting.<\/p>\n
Apart from discussing transnational crime, migrant workers,
\nand maritime cooperation, the delegates would also discuss
\nefforts to strengthen the role of the United Nations, the
\nimplementation of the AFTA, the establishment of an ASEAN Anti-
\nPoverty Fund, and efforts to combat the drug menace.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian delegate has proposed establishing a special
\ncommittee on the Golden Triangle.<\/p>\n
The meeting will also hear the report by the Cambodian
\nDelegation on the 36th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in June 2003.<\/p>\n
Lawmakers will also discuss economic cooperation and
\ncomprehensive partnership between ASEAN and China, Japan, and the
\nRepublic of Korea.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the organizational committee will discuss the
\namendment to the AIPO statute and a report by the Philippines
\ndelegate on the feasibility of establishing an ASEAN Parliament.<\/p>\n
Parliamentarians will discuss gender equality and the role of
\nwomen as political leaders in the globalization era, the role of
\nwomen in the media to help solve the problems confronted by
\nwomen, and the role of women in accelerating sustainable
\ndevelopment.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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