HANOI, October 10 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - In an implicit criticism of Washington’s unilateral approach on terrorism, the leaders of the 25 European Union and 13 Asian nations urged the United Nations to champion the fight against the global threats.

Wrapping up a two-day meeting in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Saturday, October 9, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) called on the world body to shoulder its responsibility in maintaining world peace and security, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported.

In a joint declaration, the heads of state and governments reaffirmed their "strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations".

They stressed that this "requires a comprehensive approach, collective efforts and international cooperation where the United Nations plays the leading role".

The leaders also emphasized the need for the UN to look into "root causes of terrorism" and said any action must be taken "in accordance with the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and the basic norms of international law".

Alain Gresh, the editor of Le Monde Diplomatique, told IslamOnline.net, had told IslamOnline.net that terrorism combat requires thrashing out political settlements  to the problems feeding it.

The ASEM leaders also called for the implementation of all conventions, protocols and Security Council resolutions relating to counter-terrorism.

"For the most part the speakers specifically stressed the increasing role on the United Nations in dealing with this problem (of terrorism)," European Commission President Romano Prodi said.

"We are not a decision-making group. This is an exchange of views but being 40 percent of the world's population, I think this exchange will have some consequence," he added.

Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot, whose country holds the EU rotating presidency, said the UN is the place to tackle the terror threats.

"The UN of course as a worldwide organization is best placed to take the initiative," he said.

US policies on global threats also came under fire from participants in the two-day gathering.

French President Jacques Chirac bluntly criticized Washington, dismissing the Iraq war as illegal.

"I believe it was a bad solution which didn't conform with legality and with international law, and so it was a mistake," he told China Central TV.

Eighteen months after the invasion, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called the US-led onslaught “illegal”  and said it contravened the UN charter.

The Bush administration has invaded Iraq in March 2003 under claims of possessing weapons of mass destruction, none of which have been found more than one year and a half after the invasion.

A report drafted by US weapons inspector in Iraq Charles Duelfer has concluded that Iraq had possessed no weapons  of mass destruction before the US-British invasion of the oil-rich country.

The two-day meeting had kicked off Thursday, October 7, to probe means of enhancing ties between Europe and Asia to balance respective strong bonds with the United States.

ASEM was launched in Bangkok in 1996 grouping the then 15-member EU, the European Commission, and 10 Asian countries (Brunei, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam).

It has developed into a wide-ranging strategic dialogue between the two continental partners, Asia and Europe.

Supported by specific working procedures, ASEM has created a new dynamic between the two regions.

The next ASEM summit will be hosted by Helsinki in 2006.