Wibisono heads APEC's terrorism task force<\/p>\n
Agencies, Singapore<\/p>\n
A senior Indonesian diplomat, Makarim Wibisono, has been
\nappointed to head a counter-terrorism task force of the Asia-
\nPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the group's
\nsecretariat said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Wibisono, 57, a former Indonesian permanent representative to
\nthe United Nations (UN), said the task force will coordinate
\nefforts by APEC and other international organizations to combat
\nthe terrorist threat.<\/p>\n
"It is my expectation that the APEC Counter Terrorism Task
\nForce will act as a liaison body to generate synergy between APEC
\nand other international organizations confronting terrorism," he
\nwas quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Singapore-based
\nAPEC secretariat.<\/p>\n
"Several APEC member economies have experienced first-hand the
\npain and horror of terrorism, and all 21 APEC members are
\ncommitted to confronting the terrorist threat," Wibisono
\nsaid.Wibisono's country, Indonesia, was the target of a deadly
\nterrorist attack in October last year when a bomb attack on
\ntwonightspots on the resort island of Bali killed 202 people,
\nmost of them foreign tourists.<\/p>\n
The explosion has been blamed on the Jamaah Islamiyah, a
\nSoutheast Asia-based group with alleged links to al-Qaeda, the
\nglobal terror network of Osama bin Laden.Wibisono said among the
\npriorities of the task force was to draw up measures to protect
\ninternational shipping and aviation as well as choking terrorist
\nfinances.<\/p>\n
The first meeting of the task force will be in Khon Kaen in
\nThailand next month, the statement said.APEC is the main forum
\nfor promoting trade and investment in theAsia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n
APEC's 21 economies encompass 2.5 billion people and make up
\nhalf the world's trade.It groups Australia, Brunei, Canada,
\nChile, China, Hong Kong,Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New
\nZealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia,
\nSingapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and
\nVietnam.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wibisono-heads-apecs-terrorism-task-force-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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