Phnom Penh, June 17: Foreign ministers from the biggest Asia-Pacific Security Forum are pleased to see tensions lessening on the Indian subcontinent, but aren't yet ready to admit Pakistan as a member. Pakistan's entry should "for the time being, be kept under review," according to a document being circulated today. The draft, which was obtained by the associated press today, is to be released after ARF ministers, including US Secretary of State Colin Powell, meet here tomorrow. It praised the "positive initiatives taken by India and Pakistan towards the de-escalation of tensions" and expressed hopes that they "would contribute to the cessation of cross-border terrorism and the further improvement of the relations between them."


ARF consists of all ASEAN members plus Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, north and South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the United States. Bureau Report