(AFP) The United States and Malaysia put aside their differences over the attacks in Afghanistan today as a major international defence exhibition got under way on the island of Langkawi.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who yesterday criticised the US-led bombing, said the "cataclysmic" terror attacks on the US had changed the concept of war and there was a need for new weapons to fight terrorism.

Opening the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima 2001) show, which has drawn some 670 exhibitors from 26 countries, Mahathir said there would have to be new systems for intelligence gathering and surveillance and "a whole lot of new ideas and gadgets".

He said researchers would have to apply themselves to these developments "as world leaders try to identify the causes of terrorism and try to remove them."

The prime minister has said his government did not support retaliatory attacks after the assault on New York and Washington because innocent people would be killed and terrorism would not be wiped out.

But he acknowledged today that because of the terror attacks on the US "the way of life of the people of the world has been changed in one cataclysmic moment."

Close security ties

For its part, the United States announced that the commander of its air force in the Pacific, General William J Begart, would attend the exhibition along with senior officials.

The US embassy in Kuala Lumpur said in a statement the American delegation looked forward to enhancing "the long-standing close security relationship between the US and Malaysia, a relationship which helps contribute to peace and stability" throughout Asia and the Pacific.

The six-day exhibition was hit by last minute withdrawals because of increased tension around the world but has still drawn exhibitors from countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and Switzerland.