Asean leaders meet with fight on terror in focus

Asia-Pacific leaders meeting in Malaysia yesterday condemned the string of Islamic extremist attacks from Paris to Mali, urging an international effort to fight the scourge.

Prime Minister Najib Razak of Muslim-majority Malaysia opened a fresh round of summitry by railing against the ideological mantle claimed by Islamic militants.

"The perpetrators of these cowardly and barbaric acts do not represent any race, religion or creed," he told fellow Southeast Asian leaders. "They are terrorists."

US President Barack Obama and his counterparts are meeting in the Malaysian capital for round two in a week of back-to-back regional meetings.

Obama, America's self-styled "Pacific president", has been frustrated to see his Asia tour -- aimed at highlighting growing trade and investment ties -- overshadowed by the jihadist attacks on the other side of the world.

But his new 12-country Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact is on the agenda this weekend, with hopes high of prodding signatory countries to ratify the deal at home.

Obama sought to reassure US allies who are concerned the deal may not become law before he leaves office in early 2017.

Unease over China's push to expand tiny atolls into fully-fledged islands to press its disputed maritime claims also looms over the talks.

China insists on sovereignty over virtually all the strategic and resource-endowed South China Sea, which also is claimed in part by a handful of other countries.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers who met Friday in Kuala Lumpur issued a joint statement saying they were "seriously concerned" over the situation.

In Kuala Lumpur, Southeast Asia leaders will declare the establishment on Sunday of an "ASEAN Economic Community" (AEC), inspired by Europe.

Asean leaders yesterday signed a new convention against human trafficking, reaffirming past pledges to fight a scourge that activists say thrives due to corruption and inaction.