National News Global terror, Suu Kyi, North Korea top agenda at Asia-Pacific meeting

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Asia-Pacific foreign ministers said June 18 they must fight harder against international terrorism as they sought ways to defuse two immediate crises: North Korea's nuclear ambitions and the detention of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader.

The 10 ASEAN foreign ministers met with their Asian and Western counterparts at the 23-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum in Phnom Penh that ended June 19. Japan, the United States, China, Russia, Australia, and the Koreas are among the members.

Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest on May 30 prompted global condemnation and an unprecedented rebuke from other ASEAN members.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi made it clear to Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung in private talks that Tokyo would suspend millions of dollars in aid if Suu Kyi is not released, officials said just hours after the ASEAN members urged Myanmar to free her.

Myanmar detained Suu Kyi after a clash between her supporters and government supporters. Myanmar has said Suu Kyi will be freed, but not until tensions subside. Win Aung told reporters she is being held to protect her from possible assassination.

The global fight against terrorism and North Korea's nuclear ambitions are other big concerns.

Recent bombings in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Morocco highlight the need for "enhancing capability in the region to counter terrorism effectively," the ministers said in a communique that was released after the meeting.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, en route to the regional security meet, said he would tell the other foreign ministers that North Korea "will have to stop this nuclear weapons development program" and the key was multilateral dialogue.

North Korea did not send its foreign minister to the meeting, as many had hoped, but instead was represented by a lower-level diplomat.

ASEAN 地域フォーラム開催

プノンペンで開かれた東南アジア諸国連合(ASEAN)地域フォーラムで18日、ミャンマーの民主化運動指導者アウン・サン・スーチー氏の解放や朝鮮半島非核化支持などの声明が採択された。

Shukan ST: June 27, 2003

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