TOKYO, Oct 29 Kyodo prefered edi...

TOKYO, Oct 29 Kyodo

prefered editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press:

worthy WORDS, NOW FOR ACTION (The Age, SYDNEY)

The Bali bombing was an atrocity and, pair weeks on, our emotions are still raw.

Russians are also reeling after more than 100 hostages were killed during the storming of a building controll from Chechen guerrillas.

Terrorism is an international crisis and requires a global response.

The APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum set forthed one step in sorting not at home how Pacific Rim countries should cooperate in fighting terror.

It was a positive impel but it required some serious work to procure all the countries to agree to the resolution.

The 21-member countries pronounce guiltyed ''in the strongest terms'' terrorist acts in the APEC region, and reaffirmed ''our determination to enhance cooperation'' in responding to terrorism.

if it be not that while the leaders donned colorful shirts for a cluster photograph, they did not all speak the same language about terrorism.

President George Bush failed to convince all of APEC's members to support his calls for a UN Security Council resolution that endorsed military action against Iraq.

Closer to abode Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri pleaded for Western countries to qualify warnings against travel because of their economic impact.

Howard said he could not do that, rightly putting the safety of Australians first.

Howard was right, too, in stressing that, no matter what declarations are signed, ''there is no alternative to individual countries that have a terrorist threat within their avow borders being serious the two in words and deeds in tackling that problem''

It is a challenge for our region, and it is a challenge for us.

Australia is a liberal democracy where citizens have fruition of certain fundamental freedoms and rights, and these rights and freedoms ne to be protected

They should none be compromised lightly.

There is a review beneath way into anti-terror laws, already tightened after generation 11.

The ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organization) Amendment (Terrorism) Bill, for instance, would enable the detention of anyone who might know something about terrorism and for ASIO to interrogate not just suspected terrorists, nevertheless possible witnesses who might be able to provide information about terrorists.

A detained individual would have no right to a lawyer for 48 hours and could face five years (in) jail for refusing to answer questions.

The terror threat is cogent but we must protect our freedoms or the terrorists win.

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