October 7, 2003 - Asean meeting on island shows 'terror will fail'

Article from The Straits Times, October 6, 2003

Last year's bomb attack will not deter us, says Megawati 

The staging of a South-east Asian leaders' summit on the bomb-scarred island of Bali is intended to demonstrate that terrorism will fail, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri said yesterday.

Her defiant speech was delivered to business leaders gathered here for a summit this week when Asean leaders, together with China, Japan and South Korea, will seek to integrate trade.

It was a deliberate decision to hold the annual summit on Bali, where 202 people were killed a year ago this month in the deadliest terror attack since Sept 11.

It proved 'we are able to maintain the rhythm of our life, including in the business sector', Ms Megawati said.

'We would like to demonstrate that however profound the sorrow that befell us some time ago due to the inhumane terror act, it should not deter us from moving forward.'

A draft of the final declaration to be issued after the summit on Tuesday and Wednesday underscored the thrust of preparatory talks, which have been dominated by the issue of accelerating economic integration. It made little mention of combating terror.

Myanmar's detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was not mentioned but concern among Asean, of which Myanmar is a member, is likely to be expressed in a final statement, officials said.
'We just have to find a way to convey the message,' Asean secretary-general Ong Keng Yong told reporters.

Asean, long viewed as a talking shop that stresses consensus over confrontation among its members, has seemed eager to sweep the issue of freedom for Ms Suu Kyi under the carpet at this summit.
Myanmar's recent decision to allow her to return home under house arrest from detention following surgery has been seized upon by several Asean members as a sign of some progress.

'The outcome that we had hoped...is not with us yet,' said Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa, who added that Ms Suu Kyi's move to house arrest had been widely noted.

However, Myanmar officials briefing Asean on Yangon's road map towards greater democracy have given few details and no timetable, said one official speaking on condition of anonymity. 

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