December 12, 2005

Asian-Pacific countries to hold anti-bird flu meeting
 

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) officials would meet up on Wednesday with leaders from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, to express bird flu concerns. The East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, would also allow the leaders to discuss cooperative measures against the disease.

An official cooperative statement is expected to be issued separately from a joint end-of-summit declaration.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the meeting would help strengthen regional security and economic prosperity.