APEC Ministers Agree to Regulate Shoulder-Held Anti-Aircraft Missiles

[Nottingham]

http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=3565BB4F-581F-421E-B4F32295904752C6&title=APEC%20Ministers%20Agree%20to%20Regulate%20Shoulder%2DHeld%20Anti%2DAircraft%20Missiles

APEC Ministers Agree to Regulate Shoulder-Held Anti-Aircraft Missiles
Nancy-Amelia Collins
Bangkok
18 Oct 2003, 19:16 UTC


Foreign ministers from 21 Asian countries wrapped up two days of talks Saturday, agreeing to regulate shoulder-held anti-aircraft missiles and calling for the restart of global trade negotiations.
The officials laid out the agenda for the 21 world leaders gathering Monday in Bangkok for a two-day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The APEC ministers stressed the fight against terror was at the top of their agenda, saying the well-being of their economies was threatened by extremists. Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who read the ministerial statement, said it is imperative to regulate shoulder-held anti-aircraft missiles, like the one that narrowly missed an Israeli airliner taking off from Mombassa, Kenya, last year.

"To counter the emerging threat of Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS, to civil aviation, ministers agreed to strengthen domestic controls on the production, stockpiles, transfer and brokering of MANPADS," he said. The APEC ministers also discussed ways to respond to health crises, such as an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the threat of bioterrorism.

"Ministers agreed that APEC must be ready to respond to other threats, such as the re-emergence of SARS. They emphasized the need for continual vigilance and to implement the APEC action plan on SARS and the APEC infectious disease strategy to protect the region from future public health threats, including HIV/AIDS and bioterrorism," he said.

more....

I didn't know a Israeli Airliner was narrowly missed in Kenya??

Well Great Idea APEC! :bounce:

[mbperrin]

1. Hmmmmm....regulate shoulder held anti aircraft missiles?

Gosh, I dunno...isn't this awfully close to the slippery slope of gun control?

I know! Let's call up Charlton Heston and ask him what he thinks!

Oops...forgot..he doesn't think anymore....

On the other hand, when did he ever? Use it or lose it!

The idea that this regulation is even having to be talked about reveals the unbelievably wacko world we live in!

How about talking about if they should even be MADE???!!!