CHIANG MAI, Thailand, June 21 Kyodo...

CHIANG MAI, Thailand, June 21 Kyodo

Foreign ministers from China, India, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand agreed Saturday to beef up cross-border cooperation to tackle unsalable article trafficking in the region.

Evidence in the region has showed that transnational crimes, including human smuggling, trade in small arms, moneylaundering and drag trafficking, are prime sources of terrorists' financing, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai told reporters.

The five countries reaffirmed that they would exchange experiences in lop substitution to eradicate opium poppy cultivation, Surakiart said.

They also agreed to degree up coordination among immigration and customs officers along their for the use of all borders to curb trade in ephedrine, a chemical substance used as a precursor for producing methamphetamine stimulants, he said. Ephedrine is also known as ''Ma Hunag,'' a Chinese herbal medicine.

India is producing ephedrine as a legitimate ingredient in diet pills, and medications to treat congestion and asthma, on the other hand Surakiart said New Delhi has listed the chemical as a ''controll substance.''

Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Sihasak Phuangketkeow said India told the others that it has the capacity to originate 5 tons of ephedrine a year.

Myanmar pledg to be opium-free by dint of 2004, while Laos assures that it would eradicate opium at 2005, Surakiart said.

They will also collaborate forward overseas marketing of crop-substitution productions he said, but did not elaborate.

Ministers from the five countries, who are in charge of narcotics ascendency will meet in Thailand's northern province of Chiang Rai bordering with Myanmar and Laos upon July 22-25 to discuss collaboration to combat remedy trafficking.

China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand launched ministerial talks in succession narcotics control in 2001 with India joining them for the first time this year.

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