RP, Malaysian, RI officials to meet

RP, Malaysian, RI officials to meet

PHILIPPINES: Senior officials of the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia are to meet in Manila on Thursday to forge joint agreements on combating terrorism, a senior Filipino diplomat said on Wednesday.

The two-day conference aims to come up with "specific measures" on how the three neighbors can cooperate in fighting terrorists in the region, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Lauro Baja said.

The three countries share a common sea border that pirates and terrorists usually use to evade pursuing troops. Last year, the Abu Sayyaf gunmen from the southern Philippines raided two Malaysian resorts and seized 21 mostly foreign tourists.

Security officials here said the group could have also smuggled firearms to Muslim separatists in Indonesia. --AFP