ASEAN ministers to discuss anti-terror fight, economic reforms

ASEAN ministers to discuss anti-terror fight, economic reforms

P. Parameswaran, Agence France-Presse, Manila

Counter-terrorism and prospective economic reforms in Southeast
Asia are among key issues to be discussed by ASEAN foreign
ministers at their annual talks in Brunei next week, officials
said.

The ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) will launch their two-day meeting in
Brunei's capital Bandar Seri Begawan on July 29 before separate
talks with counterparts from the region's major trading partners,
including the United States, the European Union and Japan.

"The ASEAN foreign ministers will meet in Brunei under a
different strategic backdrop since their meeting in July last
year as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the
U.S.," ASEAN spokesman M. C. Abad told AFP.

This change of outlook did not come so much from ASEAN but
from its partners, primarily the United States, Abad said.
"ASEAN will have to respond to this situation while at the same
time pushing for the region's priorities," he said.

Some analysts have expressed concern that discussions on
terrorism would "hijack" the meeting and push to the fringes
domestic issues that needed urgent action to regain ASEAN's
standing as an influential political and economic entity.

Before a severe financial crisis struck Southeast Asia and
sent it into recession in 1997, the region was the world's
fastest growing area.

It may have largely recovered from the turmoil but has not
regained its economic competitiveness and luster as a foreign
investment haven.

"Before the crisis, 60 percent of all investments into Asia
came to ASEAN but now it has dwindled to less than 20 percent,"
lamented a senior official from the group, speaking on condition
of anonymity.

But Abad said the ministers were expected to endorse a "work
plan" to beef up the competitive edge of ASEAN, which comprises
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The theme of this year's meeting is "ASEAN responding to
challenges."

ASEAN leaders identified at their summit talks in November
last year the "two-fold challenge of addressing a severe world
economic downturn and contributing to international efforts to
combat terrorism."

The foreign ministers were expected to follow-up on these
issues, including possibly calling on the United Nations to play
a "key" role in coordinating the battle against terrorism,
informed sources said.

The ministers would also review steps taken by their
governments to flush out allies of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda
terror network, blamed for the September 11 terror attacks on the
United States, they said.

Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have already forged an
anti-terrorism pact.

Kuala Lumpur particularly wants the other Southeast Asian
nations to accede to the trilateral pact.

Counter-terrorism is also expected to dominate the meetings of
the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia-Pacific's main security
umbrella grouping, as well as talks between the Southeast Asian
group and its "dialogue partners" from July 31 to August 1.

The ARF includes the ASEAN foreign ministers and their
counterparts from Australia, Canada, China, the European Union,
India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, North Korea, Papua New
Guinea, Russia, South Korea and the United States.

ARF members at the Brunei talks could initiate moves to freeze
funds linked to terror groups, officials stressed.

Aside from terrorism, tensions between India and Pakistan as
well as the two Koreas are expected to be discussed.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who will visit India and
Pakistan and several Southeast Asian states before the ARF
meeting, is expected to spearhead the ARF discussions on
terrorism, officials said.