Hotline linking nations in Asia-Pacific for ARF

Hotline linking nations in Asia-Pacific for ARF

SYDNEY (AFP): A hotline linking countries in the Asia-Pacific will be one measure discussed to improve regional security at a meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) officials in Sydney this week, officials said yesterday.

The forum, which draws together representatives from 21 nations involved in the security of the Asia-Pacific, will discuss confidence-building measures designed to ease military tensions within the region.

A senior Australian official said the meeting came at a crucial time, with the Asian economic crisis raising major questions about regional and internal security for forum members.

Under discussion at the meeting, between Wednesday and Friday, will be proposals to further enhance regional security by making defense arrangements more transparent.

Australian officials said one such proposal was a hotline linking countries in the region, but said it was too early to say whether this would be adopted by the forum, which works by consensus.

ARF includes the nine Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the United States, Russia, China, South Korea, Canada, India, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and the European Union.