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TOKYO : Asia and Pacific nations vowed Saturday to fight emerging terror threats to commercial aircraft by boosting international security standards and measures, including screening technology.
The declaration was made in Tokyo at a one-day meeting attended by ministers and senior officials from 17 countries, plus Hong Kong and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Aviation Security was held in response to an aborted terror attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 approaching Detroit from Amsterdam on Christmas Day.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano noted that the 289 people aboard the plane were from 18 countries including Australia, Japan, Canada, India, Pakistan and China.
"The international dimensions of this incident and the international threat posed by violent extremism require an international response," she told a news conference after the meeting.
She added that the meeting had come up with a "strong consensus about the need to act and to do so with urgency."
European countries held a similar meeting, which Napolitano attended, in Spain in January. As did North, Central and South American countries in Mexico last month. They have also resulted in what she called "historic declarations."
The ICAO is scheduled to hold a general meeting from the end of September to improve its international aviation security.
In their joint declaration, the Asia-Pacific officials agreed to broaden cooperation in exchanging information and detecting security threats to passenger security.
They also agreed to share expertise and "best practices" in such areas as screening and inspection techniques, detection of weapons, explosives and hazardous materials, and development of human resources such as sky marshals.
The declaration also stated the intent to use modern technologies to detect prohibited materials before they get onboard an aircraft "while respecting the privacy and safety of individuals."
They also called for changes to ICAO and other rules on the sharing of passenger information.
Japan's transport minister, Seiji Maehara, said the Northwest Airlines incident revealed weaknesses in current security measures.
A young Nigerian man was charged with attempting to blow up the plane with plastic explosives strapped to his body. He was restrained by passengers and crew as the plane descended into Detroit.
"While we strengthen (security) measures, new forms of terrorism may possibly be planned to outdo them," Maehara told the news conference. "We have to keep on improving them."
- AFP /ls
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