ASEAN-U.S. antiterrorism declaration ready to sign

ASEAN-U.S. antiterrorism declaration ready to sign

Reuters, Bandar Seri Begawan

Officials from Southeast Asian nations on Saturday agreed a joint
declaration on counter terrorism to be signed with the United
States next week as the centerpiece of a regional forum on
security and defense.

Indonesia's senior official Makarim Wibisono said the wording
had been finalized and all the ASEAN members were committed,
scotching reports Indonesia had any difficulty signing the joint
declaration with Washington.

"We are going along with that. There is some adjustment of the
wording, it is very normal. I think everybody is on board," he
told reporters on Saturday.

The 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations
-- some confronting terrorist threat from Islamic militants --
will host that ASEAN Regional Forum on July 31.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell will attend, along with
foreign ministers from 11 others countries, including Russia and
China, plus the European Union.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Makarim said the declaration would focus on efforts to build
up the capability of security forces in the region to combat
terrorism, cooperate in operations and track and block the flow
of terrorist funds.

He dismissed ideas that the document could provide a foot in
the door for U.S. troops in Southeast Asia in same way that the
Philippines had invited U.S. military advisers to help track down
Abu Sayyaf guerrillas.

"This is not (about) dealing with terrorism with the
deployment of troops. It is dealing with terrorism with all
aspects," he said.