- News>
SE Asia has made `excellent progress` in terrorism fight: US
Hanoi, June 13: Southeast Asia has made `excellent progress` in tackling global terrorism but the threat of future attacks in the region remains all too real, a top US anti-terrorism official said today.
Hanoi, June 13: Southeast Asia has made "excellent progress" in tackling global terrorism but the threat of future attacks in the region remains all too real, a top US anti-terrorism official said today.
Cofer Black, the state department's coordinator for counter-terrorism, said close cooperation between all countries in the region and the world was the only solution to combating terrorism.
"In terms of Southeast Asia, unfortunately the scourge of terrorism has certainly reached this area of the world and has been influenced and exacerbated by movements outside the region," he told reporters.
"However, I think excellent progress has been made. All the countries in the region are aware of this threat and are pulling their resources together."
His comments came on the final day of a five-day gathering of law enforcement officials from the 10 Asean countries together with "dialogue partners" Japan, China, South Korea, the European Union and the United States. Black, the former director of the CIA's counter-terrorist cell, said the United States and ASEAN had agreed in principle "a workplan to enhance our ability to fight terrorism".
This, he said, involved increasing cooperation, information sharing, counter-terrorism financing and increased maritime security.
"The threat of terrorism in this region is all too real. But the progress that we made today gives me great hope for the results we can achieve together."
Bureau Report
"In terms of Southeast Asia, unfortunately the scourge of terrorism has certainly reached this area of the world and has been influenced and exacerbated by movements outside the region," he told reporters.
"However, I think excellent progress has been made. All the countries in the region are aware of this threat and are pulling their resources together."
His comments came on the final day of a five-day gathering of law enforcement officials from the 10 Asean countries together with "dialogue partners" Japan, China, South Korea, the European Union and the United States. Black, the former director of the CIA's counter-terrorist cell, said the United States and ASEAN had agreed in principle "a workplan to enhance our ability to fight terrorism".
This, he said, involved increasing cooperation, information sharing, counter-terrorism financing and increased maritime security.
"The threat of terrorism in this region is all too real. But the progress that we made today gives me great hope for the results we can achieve together."
Bureau Report