ASEAN to issue antiterrorism declaration

ASEAN to issue antiterrorism declaration

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Phnom Penh

All ten leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), including Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputeri,
gathered here for their annual summit, which is expected to issue
a joint declaration on the fight against terrorism after
increasing terrorist attacks rocked the region last month,
claiming hundreds of innocent lives.

After being considered the weakest and slowest in the region
in the global campaign against terrorism, Indonesia will support
the initiatives of the counterterrorism center, which was set up
in Kuala Lumpur earlier last month.

The director general for Asia, Pacific and Africa of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makarim Wibisono, said that the
counterterrorism center was included in the action plan of the
summit, which opens on Monday.

"The counterterrorism center in Kuala Lumpur will be among the
eight points of suggestions from the Indonesian government,"
Makarim said on Sunday, citing the results of the previous senior
official meeting ahead of the summit.

The center was established under the bilateral agreement
between Malaysia and the United States after Kuala Lumpur was
assured that there would be no intervention from U.S. officials
in operating the center.

Aside from fulfilling the world's expectations for the
regional grouping to take firmer action against suspected
terrorists operating in Southeast Asia, ASEAN leaders, in return
will demand the revocation of travel warnings issued by Western
nations, which have ruined tourism in the region in the wake of
the deadly Bali bombings last month.

"We ask the world to support ASEAN in our efforts to fight
terrorism by lifting the travel warnings that have damaged the
region's tourism," Makarim said.

Indonesia, despite joining the international chorus in
condemning the regional and global acts of terror, raised its
concern that some parties had tried to relate the terror
activities to certain ethnic and religious groups.

Megawati was also slated to hold meetings with the Indonesian
community here in Cambodia and have bilateral talks with Vietnam
Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.

During the summit, ASEAN leaders will also discuss the
possibility of holding a special summit with Australia next year,
to be hosted by Indonesia, as it will be Jakarta's turn in 2003
to assume the association's rotating presidency.