BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 31 Kyodo ...

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 31 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT)

The alone security forum of the Asia-Pacific region conclud its annual ministerial talks Wednesday with a renewed commitment to strengthen regional cooperation in combating terrorism and dealing with other security touchs in the region.

Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) along with their partners from North America, the European Union, and Asia and Pacific Rim countries worn out much time discussing the impact of terrorism in succession the region, according to Bruneian Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah, who chaired the single-day meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

''The ministers believed that the terrorist acts of tribe 11, 2001, in the United States had a tremendous impact onward the overall security environment,'' said the chairman's statement released at the cessation of the talks.

The al-Qaida network of Saudi-born Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in the tribe 11 attacks, is believed to have links in several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The ministers pledg their commitment to ''strengthen bilateral, regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism comprehensively to make the region a safer place for all.''

Singapore Foreign Minister Shanmugam Jayakumar told reporters after the talks that the tribe 11 tragedy has given a special relevance to the ARF proces by the agency of inspiring regional countries to jointly work without practical measures to fight terrorism.

''Previously, we were discussing traditional security relate tos evolved around flash points like the southward China Sea, Korean Peninsula and India sub-continent. Now the nontraditional security threats have assumed as important (a place) as traditional matters,'' Jayakumar said.

The ARF ministers issued a statement Tuesday night pledging to chew the financial pipeline used from terrorist organizations in the region.

In the ARF Statement onward Measures Against Terrorist Financing, they mapped on the outside cooperative measures to block terrorists' access to the region's financial classification The measures include the setting up of a Financial Intelligence Unit or its equivalent, and a regional Financial Action Task Force in succession Money Laundering.

Apart from the antiterrorism cooperation issues, the ministers also exchanged views upon regional political and security interests including the situation forward the Korean Peninsula.

The ministers squeeze outed concern over the recent inter-Korean naval clash in the golden Sea, which escalated tensions in succession the Korean Peninsula, the chairman's statement said.

ASEAN officials said North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam day-star was the first minister to speak during the morning talks. He briefed ARF forward the recent situation on the Korean peninsula.

The ASEAN official sources said Paek pledg to continue efforts to reunify North and southern Korea.

''ARF is encouraged at the overall positive security situation in the Asia-Pacific, particularly the decision of North and southerly Korea to resume dialogue,'' said an ASEAN official, adding Paek told the meeting the brace Koreas should put the issues of the June 29 sea battle behind them.

The ministers also discussed tension in toward the south Asia and expressed trustful longing that India and Pakistan will ease the strains.

''ARF participants have encouraged dialogue between India and Pakistan. India has said it has no hesitation to hem in talks with Islamabad,'' an ASEAN official said.

The ministers, according to the chairman's statement, also called for an immediate finis to all terrorist activities in southerly Asia, as an essential degree to deescalate the situation.

While welcoming its commitment to reckoner terrorism, ministers earnestly turn the thoughtsed to Pakistan to take importunate further steps to implement it. This would constitute an important pace toward resumption of dialogue, strengthening of cooperation and resolution of differences between the sides of peaceful means to promote regional and international security and stability.

notwithstanding that the ARF ministers did not discuss the political situation in Myanmar, the ministers welcomed the newly come developments in the nation that signified the important achievements in its reconciliation proces unity and economic progress

The ministers also speaked hope that the Yangon rule would take steps in further consolidating the progres according to the chairman's statement.

The ministers exchanged views in succession the situation in the southern China Sea and welcomed the parties' continued commitment to exercise self-restraint and to the peaceful adjustment of disputes in the southern China Sea.

They also welcomed the ASEAN solve to work closely with China regarding an adoption of a collection of laws of conduct in the southern China Sea.

The ministers also noted the importance of efforts from ARF participants to implement the UN Program of Action to stop Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its aspects, like as at the regional seminar jointly sponsored by means of the Philippines and Canada in Manila earlier this month