Asian Leaders Agree to Promote Biofuels

ASEAN Leaders and their six Dialogue Partners prepare to sign documents during ceremony for the Cebu Declaration on Energy Security at the 2nd East Asia Summit in the ongoing 12th ASEAN Summit of Leaders with their six counterparts Monday, Jan. 15, 2007 in Cebu, central Philippines. The leaders are from left, President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Prime Ministers John Howard of Australia, Manmohan Singh of India, Helen Clark of New Zealand, and Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore (AP Photo/Pat Roque) (Pat Roque - AP)

A draft copy of the statement says the leaders expressed concern over North Korea's nuclear test and urged Pyongyang to desist from further tests and "take concrete and effective steps" to implement a 2005 agreement in which it pledged to disarm in exchange for security guarantees and aid.

They also will emphasize support for the so-called six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons program "and reaffirmed conviction that the talks should result in more tangible progress in addressing outstanding issues."

Earlier Monday, Wen told reporters that countries involved in international talks on North Korea must renew efforts to overcome differences and resolve the issue.

The leaders also vowed to work closer in addressing bird flu and natural disasters.

The East Asia summit was first held in Kuala Lumpur in December 2005 as India, Australia and New Zealand sought more active roles in regional issues.

ASEAN's members are the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

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Associated Press writers Jim Gomez, Audra Ang, Sean Yoong and Kwang-Tae Kim contributed to this report.