The fight against terrorism and drug trafficking topped the agenda of the two-day conference of the East Asia-Latin America Cooperation Forum that started Bogota on Monday.

In the communique issued on the first day of the gathering, Colombia and Singapore, the co-chairmen of the conference, said that solidarity and shared responsibility should be the two guiding principles in fighting international crimes.

The 32 nations present at the meeting will also promote exchanges for journalists and academic activities and the creation of a network of academic centers studying Latin America.

Carlos Ospina, who is in charge of Asian affairs at Colombia's Foreign Ministry, said the forum's projects have strengthened trust, cooperation and relations among the countries.

Ospina said the five-year old forum has helped strengthen political, cultural and educational links.
 
The forum groups Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, China, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Singapore, Thailand, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2006)