Japan eyes closer cooperation with ASEAN in anti-terrorism

Japan said in Vientiane on November 26 that the two issues in which it wanted to advance cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are counter-terrorism and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and the reduction of tension in the Korean Peninsula.

Japan made the remarks at the ASEAN+Japan Senior Officials Meeting held here Friday.

The meeting finalized the ASEAN-Japan Joint Declaration for Cooperation in Counter-Terrorism, which will be adopted at the ASEAN+Japan Summit on Nov. 30.

The declaration will include such activities as information exchange, intelligence sharing and capacity building, law enforcement cooperation and mutual assistance in criminal matters including extradition.

The meeting recalled that the ASEAN+Japan Economic Ministers Meeting agreed in September 2004 that negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership would commence in April 2005 tobe completed within two years.

Japan invited ASEAN members to participate in the Asia Non-Proliferation Meeting in February 2005.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.