Asia’s new initiative to combat piracy and deter terror strikes in the crucial Malacca Straits and surrounding seas is nearly ready to start, Singapore’s defence minister said today.

Pirate attacks worldwide in the first nine months of 2004 dropped to their lowest levels in five years, helped by declines in hotspots such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nigeria, a maritime group said today.

Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong leaves for Washington and London tomorrow amid a growing debate in south east Asia on whether US help is required to protect busy Asian shipping lanes from terrorist attacks.