CEBU, Philippines, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) held a special session on HIV/AIDS with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders here Saturday to discuss ways to curb the spread of the deadly diseases in the region.

    At the special session, Dr. Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director and UN Under Secretary-General, told leaders attending the 12th ASEAN Summit that AIDS is "not a passing storm" but "a long-run threat to development and national security" in Asia in his report on HIV/AIDS.

    This is the first time that an external body has been invited to report to the ASEAN Heads of State Summit on AIDS.

    ASEAN Heads of State discussed behind doors about AIDS, its effects and the regions response, and considered UNAIDS' special report on the epidemic, according to a press release shortly after the special session.

    They agreed that countries in the region must close ranks in the fight against HIV/AIDS and step up their cooperation in the various efforts to forestall the spread of the infectious disease, including raising the level of the people's awareness and education about the disease.

    ASEAN leaders also agreed that more funds were needed to mount a full-scale response to HIV/AIDS and priority must be given to the treatment of people living with AIDS-stricken persons, especially the poor who can't afford the high cost of HIV/AIDS drugs.

    In his report, UNAIDS Executive Director and UN Under Secretary-General Piot briefed the ASEAN leaders on AIDS epidemics globally and in the region, and the challenges AIDS presents.

    According to UNAIDS' latest report on HIV/AIDS, there were an estimated 1.6 million people living with HIV, 180,000 new infections and 110,000 deaths due to AIDS in the ASEAN region in 2006, leading the most severe epidemics within Asia.

    Following the special session, the ASEAN Heads of State adopted a Declaration on AIDS, affirming their commitment to prioritize, lead and strengthen national AIDS responses.

    "(The Declaration) will form part of the permanent history and lexicon of ASEAN," ASEAN Summit spokesperson Victoriano Lecaros said.

    Faced with the challenges brought by HIV/AIDS, 10 member countries of ASEAN are stepping up commitment to fight AIDS and putting AIDS and its effects at the center of many political and socio-economic discussions.

    The ASEAN Heads of State and Government passed a resolution during their summit meeting in Brunei in November 2001, deciding to convene the "Special Session on HIV and AIDS" in conjunction with the 12th ASEAN Summit in 2007, to signal the bloc's commitment in combating AIDS and to give impetus to regional responses in taking urgent action.

    ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.