Jakarta: Observing that ASEAN's (Association of South East Asian Nations) dialogue relations with India were intensifying, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri today (Jun 30, 2004) urged the 10-member regional grouping to be on the forefront in the fight against international terrorism and cross-border crimes such as people-smuggling and maritime piracy.

"Our dialogue relations with India are intensifying as India pursues a 'look East' policy," Megawati said opening the two-day ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting preceding the 23-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which would be attended among others by External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh.

Megawati also urged the ASEAN members to "be at the forefront in the fight against the most inhuman of multinational crimes, international terrorism."

She noted that "free, honest and successful" elections were held recently in India, South Korea, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Indonesia, which currently chairs the grouping, goes to polls on July 5.

Singh, who arrived in Jakarta this morning, is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the ASEAN and ARF member countries.

India is a dialogue partner of the ASEAN and a member of the ARF grouping.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ARF consists of the 10 ASEAN States along with Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, South Korea, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the United States.