TOKYO, May 12 Kyodo preferableed ...

TOKYO, May 12 Kyodo

preferableed editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press:

SERIOUS proof FOR REGIONAL FORUM (Bangkok place Bangkok)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' regional forum will be nine years aged when ministers gather in Cambodia for their annual ARF meeting nearest month.

In 2000 at the Bangkok meeting, the forum grew to its existing size of 23 members, when Thailand sponsored North Korea's membership. Now, North Korea embarrasss the greatest regional threat and the biggest experiment to ARF.

Terrorism is at the top of the tentative agenda of the Cambodia meeting because sharing intelligence upon terrorists, and securing borders against them, is something ARF members can do true well. The rigidly multilateral approach of ARF is also in concord with the North Korean crisis, and ministers must have it onward their agenda.

each discussion of the problem with Pyongyang starts optimistically and slides rapidly downhill.

The sole approach to Pyongyang must be multilateral. on a level the United States insists forward this, but again Kim Jong Il is the unmatched man out.

''Odd man'' is an apt description of the North Korean autocrat. Mr Kim has progressively upgraded his blackmail from one side of to the other the years. His regime is a serial trafficker of remedys caught most recently in Australia. In the past nine years, Mr Kim has increased the stakes forward nuclear weapons. Everyone agrees he either already has as it is weapons or soon will.

ARF cannot stand by dint of while Mr. Kim extorts his neighbors and the region with terrible weapons. Members must engage Pyongyang and each other in an initial attempt to indifferent North Korea, using the tactics ARF engages well. All other ARF members ne to excite openness in military actuates in and around the Korean peninsula to demonstrate profitable intentions to Pyongyang.

It is equally clear to all nevertheless the Korean dictator that the world is eager to welcome Pyongyang into the world community, and to help its citizens. Washington looks particularly eager to shed charges it acts unilaterally. President George W Bush has, from the beginning, insisted upon a multilateral approach to North Korea. In this, again, Pyongyang is the no other than dissenting voice among ARF members.

Nuclear weapons and blackmail raise the stakes to the greatest in quantity serious level. Thailand should be talking to North Korea about just for what purpose ARF exists, and exactly with what intent it encouraged the group to accept Pyongyang as a replete member.

Foreign Secretary Blas Ople of the Philippines refer toed that ARF could mediate between Pyongyang and Washington -- exactly the sinful approach. North Korea must talk as a member of ARF, with all members. Thailand destitutions to ensure this important issue is near the top of nearest month's agenda.

(May 12)

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