Singapore - Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India emerged as the most optimistic in Asia, a survey of Asia- Pacific business confidence said Wednesday.

HSBC's commercial banking unit in Singapore commissioned the biannual survey, regarded as an indicator of economic health.

Fifty-nine per cent of the SME's queried in India expect rapid growth, up from 58 per cent last year, according to findings published in The Straits Times.

South Korea, with only 6 per cent of SME's forecasting positive growth, was the least optimistic.

Singapore - North Korea signed on Thursday a non-aggression pact with the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as Asia's main security forum pressed for full denuclearization of the hermetic state.

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun inked the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation following the annual meetings of the 27-country ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

While delegates watched, Pak signed the document and turned it over to Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo, the outgoing ASEAN chairman.

Singapore - Asia's top security forum said Thursday a disaster-hit country should facilitate assistance from other nations and international organizations for "prompt and effective disaster management and relief" where needed.

The foreign ministers from the 27-member Association of South-East Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF) also agreed that external assistance should be provided with the consent of the affected country.

"Disaster relief efforts should be under its overall control and supervision," said the recommendations included in a "chairman's statement."

Singapore - Stampedes of reporters and photographers covering diplomatic meetings at Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel have triggered complaints from guests and delegations, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) said Wednesday.

"Some delegations have been swarmed by the media while entering or exiting the lobby, resulting in them being pushed and jostled," ASEAN's media subcommittee said in an advisory.

"A senior member of a visiting delegation was accidentally hit with a video camera by a photojournalist," it said. "A child was almost trampled on by a group of media personnel chasing some delegates into a lift."

Singapore - East Asian government ministers called for a "holistic and sustainable approach" to the spiralling food and fuel prices besetting the region, a statement said Wednesday.

The ministers of the 10-country Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), plus China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, noted that the problems of high food and oil prices are closely interlinked.

"We should pursue a holistic and sustainable approach to these issues given their inter-related nature, in particular the need to balance between food and biofuels production," the ministers said in a statement.

Singapore - Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Wednesday his country made a further contribution of 30 million Australian dollars (29 million US dollars) in assistance to the victims of Myanmar's Cyclone Nargis that left 140,000 people dead or missing.

Smith, who was attending the annual foreign minister meetings of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the amount was in addition to the 25 million dollars Australia contributed immediately after the cyclone struck in May.