Regional anti-terror centre to be set up in M'sia next year

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KUALA LUMPUR A US-proposed regional centre to coordinate anti-terrorism activities will likely be set up in Malaysia next year, Malaysian ministers said today.

US President George W.Bush raised plans for the anti-terror centre during talks yesterday with Southeast Asian leaders on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Mexico, said Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The idea was first mooted by US Secretary of State Colin Powell during his visit to Kuala Lumpur in July, Abdullah was quoted by Bernama news agency as telling Malaysian journalists in Mexico.

The centre would develop projects to enhance the capability of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to deal with terrorist movement.

Target next year

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar was quoted as saying that details of the centre have not been worked out yet but "our target for the regional centre is next year."

The proposed centre would be jointly manned by Malaysian and US officials, officials said.

Veteran Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has won praise from Washington for his cooperation in the war on terrorism, and the two countries signed an anti-terror pact during a visit by Mahathir to the White House in May.

Asean also signed a pact with Washington in August to crack down on terrorist movement, boost intelligence sharing to cut off terrorist funding and develop counter-terrorism measures. &[email protected] AFP



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