New Zealand will host a counter-terrorism meeting for Pacific Islands Forum members next month, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced Wednesday.

The Pacific Roundtable on Counter-Terrorism is an opportunity for all Forum states to discuss the implications of the upsurge interrorism from Sept. 11, 2001, any difficulties faced in meeting our counter-terrorism obligations, and the assistance available tosmall states from international sources, Clark said in a statement.

The terrorist strikes of Sept. 11, 2001, the outrage of the Bali and other bombings, including those in Madrid last month, have caused states to focus on how they can contribute to counter-terrorism efforts, she said.

International counter-terrorism obligations, including United Nations requirements which prohibit any form of support for terrorism, affect all countries.

Clark said that states need to comply with rules aimed at cutting off the flow of funds to terrorists and that they need to ratify the 12 United Nations anti-terrorism conventions.

The new obligations include International Maritime Organizationregulations on shipping to be implemented by mid-year, and International Civil Aviation Organization cargo screening rules which need to be put in place by the beginning of 2006, Clark said,adding that all countries would face economic risks if they fail to comply with these measures.

The Roundtable will be funded from the New Zealand Government'sPacific Security Fund, which aims to contribute to strengthening security in the region.

Senior policy-makers from the Forum and observers from other regional partners and international organizations will attend the meeting, which will be held in Wellington from May 10 to 12.

Clark said the security of the Pacific is one of the four main Pacific Islands Forum goals identified by Leaders at their SpecialRetreat in Auckland last week. The outcome of next month's Roundtable will be fed into the annual Forum Leaders' Meeting, to be hosted by Samoa in August.

Source: Xinhua