Pakistan agreed on Friday to cooperate with 10 Southeast Asian nations to fight terrorism, saying it needed the help of all countries to root out the menace. Pakistan signed an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) anti-terror co-operation agreement as meetings of the Asean Regional Forum, wound up in the Laos capital Vientiane.
New Zealand also signed the agreement, which South Korea put its name to on Wednesday. Other signatories are Australia, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Terrorism is a particular concern for Pakistan, where al Qaeda-linked militants are alleged to be hiding in remote tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan.
The agreement with Asean "means we will be having a more co-operative exchange of information and intelligence-sharing between Pakistan and the Asean community," a Pakistani diplomat told AFP.
"Pakistan requires the help of all the countries within and without the region in helping eliminate this menace of terrorism ... and Asean needs Pakistan as well," he said.
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