WMD risks to be discussed at Asia-Pacific talks in New Zealand

Security and public safety officials from 25 Asian and Pacific countries will gather here next week for talks on preventing trafficking in weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), an official said Wednesday.

Exercise Maru, a discussion-based exercise, will be held from Nov. 17 to 19 with an aim to improve capability to stop the trafficking of WMDs by testing counter-proliferation systems and capabilities, New Zealand Customs Minister Nicky Wagner said.

The countries participating in the exercise included the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and the Republic of Korea.

"Exercise Maru is a great opportunity for countries to further discuss and learn how we can all work together to be prepared for an event involving the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction in our region," Wagner said in a statement.

"While New Zealand is not viewed as being at high risk, it could be seen as a potential transit point, or a place to send chemicals, technology, and components to be put together before sending them on to do harm elsewhere."

Exercise Maru is the second in a series of annual, dedicated Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) exercises to be hosted on a rotating basis by the six participating countries.

The PSI was launched in May 2003 by the United States in response to the threat posed to international security by the proliferation of WMDs. Enditem