Lack of unity in curbing militancy "a global threat"

MACTAN ISLAND, Philippines, Apr 22 (Reuters) Barriers to regional cooperation and gaps in approaches to fighting Islamic militancy have serious implications for global efforts to defeat terrorism, security experts said today.

At the end of a three-day counter-terrorism forum in the central Philippines, experts from 60 countries issued a communique calling on participants to further explore a ''middle way'' to counter the growing threat of militancy.

''We don't take terrorism seriously,'' said retired general Benjamin Defensor, Manila's counter-terrorism ambassador, adding most governments only take actions when attacks happen.

''Perception differs. There were differences on how countries perceived terrorist threats in their regions.'' Defensor said political and other vested interests often interfere in the exchange of information, a problem that must be overcome by countries to effectively defeat militancy.

While participants agreed terrorism was a global challenge, he said they also recognised barriers to regional cooperation based on differences in understanding the problem.

There were also wide disparities in the capacities and capabilities between Western and developing states in dealing with it.

The one-page communique, named the ''Cebu Concord'', called for measures to bridge these gaps, suggesting nations find a path based on common ground and measures to fight terrorism.

Among the approaches were respect for human rights and the rule of law and develop social and economic policies that would address causes and factors that create militancy.

''Terrorism is like bad breath,'' said Rohan Gunaratna, head of political violence and terrorism centre at Singapore's Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies.

''You have to treat the condition in the mouth that is breeding the bad breath. Terrorism is like that, you have the address the ideology that is producing jihadists.'' REUTERS SRS BD1433