ASEAN members mull anti-terrorism steps

ASEAN members mull anti-terrorism steps

Jim Gomez, Associated Press, Manila

Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are considering a number of steps, including convening a powerful meeting, to discuss ways to jointly deal with "the scourge of terrorism," according to a draft ASEAN statement.

The draft, proposed to be issued during the summit of leaders of the 10-member conservative trading bloc in Brunei on Nov. 5, would also condemn "in no uncertain terms" the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States.

Any anti-terrorism statement by the ASEAN would not likely mention any endorsement of the U.S.-led air strikes in Afghanistan, Philippine officials said.

Like in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit in Shanghai last week, terrorism is expected to dominate the ASEAN meetings in the oil-rich sultanate, officials said Thursday.

"The subject of terrorism will definitely, most likely, dominate the discussions in the summit," said Ronald Allerey, a Philippine foreign affairs official in charge of relations with ASEAN.

Allerey said he was meeting with his ASEAN counterparts to pool suggestions for a proposed ASEAN declaration against terrorism to be issued at the end of the Brunei summit.

A draft of the ASEAN statement prepared by Philippine officials said the nations "strongly condemn, in no uncertain terms," the terrorist attacks in the United States.

The statement, however, is silent on the ongoing U.S. and British air strikes in Afghanistan and does not mention Osama bin Laden, the principal suspect in the attacks.

ASEAN member countries would pledge to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism, according to the statement.

Steps include convening the ASEAN troika - three member countries which deal with major issues ahead of a full discussion by the grouping - to come up with and recommend ways of coordinating "policy and action against terrorism," the draft statement said.

The ASEAN troika currently consists of Brunei, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The troika would review "international instruments on terrorism with the view of harmonizing or integrating them with existing ASEAN mechanism."

It would also explore ways "to link ASEAN efforts with the other East Asian and other countries to make the fight against terrorism a truly regional and global endeavor," the statement said.

Vice President Teofisto Guingona, who is also foreign affairs secretary, said Philippine officials would use the ASEAN summit in Brunei to push an anti-terrorism accord involving the Philippines and neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia.