MALAYSIA wants the Asean Regional Forum (ARF) to be held independently of the Asean Ministerial Meeting.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said there were many issues to be discussed in ARF meetings, which are also attended by countries like the US and China.

He said the three hours set aside for the ARF meetings were not enough.

On the 41st Asean Ministerial meeting which ended yesterday, Rais said it was successful and he looked forward to the next gathering in Thailand.

On his 20-minute meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Rais said he told her that US officials should stop commenting on the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim case.
"Rice understood my explanation and she acquiesced to our suggestions.

"Let us wait and see if that is well translated," Rais said when asked to comment on Rice being quoted in foreign media reports as saying that the US would continue to speak out on legal cases such as Anwar's.

Rais had earlier this month sent a letter of protest to Rice expressing disappointment over remarks by a US State Department official in connection with Anwar's case.

A former aide has accused Anwar of sodomising him.