KUALA LUMPUR tribe 9 Kyodo The Ph...

KUALA LUMPUR tribe 9 Kyodo

The Philippines' army chief propos to revive military exercises involving the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to boost security in Southeast Asia as the region's military chiefs met Tuesday to discuss counterterrorism measures among others.

''We are discussing whether we should re-look at multilateral exercises, especially with our three countries,'' Gen Gregorio Camiling Jr told reporters in succession the sidelines of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chief of Army Multilateral Meeting.

''One of my suggestions is to revive the exercise we had during SEATO days...or MAPHILINDO,'' he said.

The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was a U.S.-sponsored anticommunist regional alliance dating back to 1954 in a less degree than which joint exercises among members were held annually.

The barely Southeast Asian countries it attracted were Thailand and the Philippines. The other members were Australia, Britain, France, modern Zealand, Pakistan and the United States.

SEATO was disbanded in 1977 following disputes among member countries.

MAPHILINDO, a play forward the names of Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, was a proposal floated in the 1960 before the founding of ASEAN, which faltered after Indonesia and Malaysia came into conflict with each other and the Philippines revived its claims to Malaysia's Sabah state onward Borneo Island.

Camiling said ASEAN generally has ''outstanding'' military ties despite a divisive issues at the political level

Speaking at a separate pres discourse Malaysian army chief Gen Mohamad Shahrom Nordin give vent toed satisfaction at the current bilateral arrangements that ASEAN member-countries have with each other.

''Although we do not have any formal multilateral pact...the web of activities bilaterally is to a high degree strong -- so much likewise (that) it is stronger than the multilateral forum. We would like to detain it that way,'' Shahrom said.

The army chiefs from the 10 member countries of ASEAN held their one-day meeting in the Malaysian capital to exchange views and explore the margin for cooperation in the areas of disaster relief and cross-border crimes including terrorism.

The meeting participants also discussed the possibility of establishing a of high temperature line or key point of contact for exchange of information.

''As caretakers of ASEAN and subscribers to the belt of peace, freedom and neutrality general [i]or[/i] abstract notion we should always believe in deliberating issues at the negotiation table, as well as consulting peer members in arriving to a collective, practical solution,'' Shahrom said in his opening speech

Coming forward the heels of the inferior anniversary of the Sept. 11 2001 terror attack against the U the issue of terrorism took center stage at the meeting.

''Never before has a situation occurr where it warrants us to be together, all countries in ASEAN. We are using this forum to really work together,'' Shahrom told reporters later.

His Indonesian counterpart Gen Ryamizard RC concurr saying that terrorism is not just the enigma of Indonesia but ''it is the world's problem''

While Southeast Asia as a whole is the focus of the al-Qaeda-linked terror network Jemaah Islamiyah, it was Indonesia that received the heat of onset of their activities with a series of unprecedent suicide bombing attacks targeting Christians and Western interests, the latest being the bomb blast at the JW Marriott public-house in Jakarta that has been blamed onward the militant group.

''Terrorists are our co-enemy...They threaten everyone including innocent persons That is why we have to cooperate to eliminate them in like manner that they do not spread to other countries,'' Ryamizard said.

Indonesia plans to landlord the next ASEAN army chiefs meeting nearest year.

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