WELLINGTON, April 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The 16-member Pacific Islands Forum leaders gathered in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday to discuss a new plan for greater regional co-operation.

    The new plan, envisaged in a report prepared by the Eminent Persons' Group chaired by Papua New Guinea's Sir Julius Chan, has recommended greater regional co-operation and integration, the sharing of resources of governance and a beefed up role for the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat.

    The organization's special meeting was called by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark in her capacity as the current chairwoman of the forum.

    The 60-page report proposes a vision for the Pacific where leaders believe the Pacific "can, should and will be a region of peace, harmony, security and economic prosperity."

    "The bottom line is that future inter-country relationships will need to be closer and more mutually supportive if the region is to avoid decline and international marginalization the report says.

    The New Zealand Press Association reported that possible moves to establish a European Union-type of grouping were not specifically mentioned although the report talked about stimulating regional "integration" deeper than that already established under current trade arrangements.

    Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said recently he did not support the idea of a Pacific Union.

    The report suggests the forum secretariat assess existing regional co-operation and integration arrangements.

    This could be presented to Pacific leaders at the August meeting of the forum in Apia, Samoa, the report says.

    According to the report, proposals for greater co-operation and common structures could specifically include "the introduction of a regional panel of judges, a common list of Pacific prosecutors, a regional shipping registry, a regional financial intelligence unit, and intensified training courses for regional managers, administrators and parliamentarians."

    A "digital strategy" would allow huge gains to be made through the countries of the region working more closely together, the report says.

    It also suggests beefing up the forum secretariat, recommending the appointment of a second deputy secretary-general to help free up Secretary-General Greg Urwin.

    The forum secretary-general should be mandated -- in consultation with the forum chair -- to call a meeting of leaders or forum foreign ministers in times of crisis with a view to galvanizing regional action, the report says.

    New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said previously this could include cases when there was a health crisis like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), not just over matters of regional security.

    On the issue of security, the report says there has been a strong feeling expressed during its consultation over the report that government breakdown, insurrection and other emergencies demanded rapid and effective engagement.

    "Trans-national and regional security issues are seen by many in the region as likely to dominate forum attention for at least the next few years," the report says.

    The Pacific Islands Forum, which had its 34th meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2003, comprises Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Enditem