APEC leaders have pledged to protect the region`s economic, trade, investment, and financial systems from terrorist attacks and trade-based money laundering.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) will work closely to combat terrorism, said the Chairman of the Counter Terrorism Task Force, Harry Purwanto, on Tuesday.

"More capacity building activities and exchange of information will enhance APEC members` ability to fight terrorism," he said on Tuesday, after meeting senior officials from 21 APEC members.

Harry said Indonesia will organise the APEC 2013 and will hold various capacity building programmes for APEC members, including programmes to fight terrorism.

He said Indonesia has the expertise to fight terrorism and it is ready to share the information with fellow representatives from 21 APEC countries.

APEC leaders have pledged to protect the region`s economic, trade, investment, and financial systems from terrorist attacks and trade-based money laundering.

Their commitment to undertake individual and joint actions to fight terrorism are expressed in two principle statements - the 2001 APEC Leaders Statement on Counter-Terrorism and the 2002 Statement on Fighting Terrorism and Promoting Growth - and in every subsequent annual Leaders` Declaration.

The APEC Counter-Terrorism Task Force was established in May 2003 to fight terrorism and to enhance human security.

The task force works hard to identify and assess counter-terrorism needs, to coordinate capacity building and technical assistance programmes, to cooperate with relevant international and regional organisations, and to facilitate cooperation between APEC fora on counter-terrorism issues.

The organisation has developed the APEC Counter Terrorism Action Plan (CTAP) based on the 2002 APEC Leaders` Statement on Fighting Terrorism and Promoting Growth.

Every CTAP provides a concise checklist of counter-terrorism measures undertaken by an APEC member country to achieve the key goals of the Services Trade Access Requirements (STAR) initiative.

These goals include securing cargo; protecting people in transit; protecting ships engaged in international voyages; combating threats to security; preventing financing of terrorism; and promoting cyber-security.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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