PIRACY ISSUE TO BE RAISED AT ASEAN SUMMIT

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will raise the issue of piracy in the
Somalian waters at the three-day 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin, Thailand which
begins this Friday.

Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim said pirates did not only threathen
Malaysian vessels but also those of other Asean countries including Singapore.

He said although the United Nations had passed a resolution to end piracy
there the reality was that it was still widespread.

As such Malaysia will initiate various efforts on the matter including using
the summit to discuss the issue and getting agreement among Asean countries on
the matter, Rais told reporters after launching two ministerial publications
which were 'Asean Record' and the book 'Malaysia-Europe: Strategic
Partnerships for the Pacific Century, here Wednesday.

Rais said an anti-piracy seminar would be held in Kuala Lumpur in May to be
attended by various countries and Malaysia would continue to propose
constructive preventive steps to overcome piracy.

Meanwhile, Rais said at the summit Malaysia would also attend meetings at
various levels to discuss an Asean human rights body whose setting up would take
at least a year.

"We have formed a high level panel, consisting of legal experts, officials
from various ministries of the member states, the Secretary-General's office in
Jakarta but to date we have not accepted any specific projects, programmes, or
interpretations (regarding human rights in Asean).

"But we are quite sure that the human rights concept and implementation of
its projects will have to be in conformity with the societies of Asean states,"
he said.

Besides that, Rais said the delegation to be led by Prime MinisterAbdullah
Ahmad Badawi was expected to discuss the matter of Rohingya refugees,
the Asean progress map declaration for the future, and also obstacles faced by
the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA)
which was set up in 2003.

He said the prime minister would also be involved in various discussions on
the global economic situation and suggestions and proposals from the Asean
Finance Ministers' meeting on Feb 22.

On the Asean Record published in Bahasa Malaysia, Rais said it would
distributed to schools, non-governmental organisations, public libraries and the
like to enhance people's understanding on Asean relations and his ministry would
also have various fora on it.

He said the book titled Malaysia-Europe: Strategic Partnerships for the
Pacific Century by noted intellectual Dr Corrado Letta suggests steps to enhance
and strengthen bi-lateral Malaysia-Europe relations.

-- BERNAMA