Brunei, Asian Leaders Declare SARS Wars

Bangkok - His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei and other Southeast Asian leaders and China vowed to join forces to fight the deadly SARS virus during an unprecedented emergency summit to address the crisis yesterday.

In Tuesday's joint declaration the countries released a raft of resolutions, including working towards pre-departure health screening for travellers within ASEAN countries.

His Majesty Sultan of Brunei was among other leaders attending the special Asean leaders' meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

Also attending was His Royal Highness Prince Mohamad Bolkiah, Brunei Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The countries agreed to direct their health and other ministers to "work to take rigorous measures for immigration and customs control to prevent the spread of SARS, including, for example, pre-departure and arrival screening and better flight management".

ASEAN and China leaders also committed to exchange information on SARS, carry out cooperative research and training programmes on the disease, and jointly sponsor a high-level international symposium on SARS control and treatment in China, as soon as possible.

They also agreed to "sponsor a special symposium to assess the political, security, economic and other possible impact of SARS on the region and come up with regional counter-measures to address the impacts".

In their statement, ASEAN leaders said they reaffirmed "our commitment to keep our economies and borders open," while they also agreed to establish a ministerial-level joint task force to implement the decisions made at the meeting.

ASEAN and China furthermore announced the establishment of a fund for China-ASEAN cooperation programmes aimed at controlling SARS, to which China has pledged 1.2 million dollars.

The first gathering of top leaders on the crisis was aimed at forging a regional framework for cooperation against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Asia's worst crisis since the financial meltdown of 1997-1998.

"They were fruitful discussions on measures to strengthen cooperation and determine steps (to control SARS)," Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, who chaired the meeting, said of the talks.

Leaders expressed confidence in their ability to combat the crisis.

"If Vietnam can do it, Hong Kong, with its resources, Singapore with the resources it's put in, and China, with its will, the resources and organisation, can ... begin to eradicate it," Singapore's prime minister Goh Chok Tong told reporters.

The Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, however, warned China still faced an uphill battle.

"China's situation in terms of SARS is still grave," he said.

"There is a surge in the number of reported cases. There is a tendency of the epidemic spreading to other regions. There is a need for us to recognise the fact that SARS is going to be a long-term and relapsing epidemic," he said.

Wen said the country was taking "decisive" measures to tackle the outbreak, by dispatching 31 inspection teams, implementing a system of reporting the epidemic and providing adequate medical treatment.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping and China were hoping to convince a spooked world they are taking efficient measures to contain the spread of the disease, and bring back confidence to the region.

The panic surrounding SARS has left tourism and travel industries reeling, with the social impact also mounting, particularly in China, where cases have not yet peaked, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

ASEAN leaders met together earlier Tuesday and were briefed by the WHO before later being joined by the Chinese delegation.

The WHO later called on China to begin screening departing passengers from its airports.

"It's extremely important that China introduce screening at their airports and it has been recommended they do this," he said.

China, which initially attempted to cover up the outbreak last November in southern Guangdong province, has reported 148 deaths and more than 3,300 cases.

Globally, more than 350 people have been killed by the virus, for which there is no cure or vaccine, while more than 5,600 people have been infected, most of them in Asia.

The ASEAN-plus China session was the first meeting between Wen, who took office in March, and the leaders of ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

More than half of ASEAN members have reported SARS deaths: Singapore (22), Vietnam (5), Malaysia (2), Philippines (2) Thailand (2) and Indonesia (1).

The first gathering of top leaders on the crisis is aimed at forging a regional framework for cooperation against Sars, Asia's worst crisis since the financial meltdown of 1997 to 1998.

The groundwork for the summit was laid at a weekend meeting of Regional Health Ministers in Malaysia, including key partners China, Japan and South Korea.

The unprecedented summit comes a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the disease has been successfully contained in Vietnam and declined in Singapore, Hong Kong and Canada.

Last night, His Majesty joined other Asean leaders and the Chinese Premier to a dinner given by the Prime Minister of Thailand.

In the afternoon, His Majesty together with other Asean leaders held a meeting with the Chinese Prime Minister on Sars.

His Majesty arrived in Bangkok Monday night.

Present at Bangkok Don Muang International Airport to greet His Majesty was Mr Korn Dabbaransi, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and other senior officials of the Thai government.

Also at the airport was Lieutenant Sunthon Niyomyath, Thailand's Ambassador to Brunei and Dato Paduka Haji Mohamad Yunos, Brunei Ambassador to Thailand as well as officers of the Embassy of Brunei in Bangkok.  -- Courtesy of Radio Television Brunei

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