Leaders of major Asian cities issued a declaration Thursday, outlining 15 joint projects that include the development of the region's air industry, online education and environmentally friendly vehicles.

The Tokyo Declaration came at the conclusion of the two-day inaugural meeting of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21, which brought together mayors and senior officials from 11 regional capitals in Tokyo.

The declaration -- signed by representatives from Beijing, Delhi, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Yangon -- affirms the importance of the Asian region within the global community and the need for a mechanism for cooperation among the cities.

The governor of Bangkok was scheduled to attend but canceled at the last minute due to natural disaster emergencies at home.

"I think East Asia is the region which has the highest potential in the world," said Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, who hosted the meeting. "It is very significant and effective to share knowhow and consult each other regarding the problems each city has."

Among the 15 projects adopted under the declaration is the promotion of the development of small to midsize jet passenger planes, an idea proposed by Tokyo.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials said nurturing a strong Asian aerospace industry should benefit the region as demand for air travel is expected to grow, and some countries in the region have the knowhow to develop aircraft.

The forum also proposed the development of the Asian Distance Learning Project, which will provide online education in engineering, social sciences, fashion, languages and other areas.

At Tokyo's request, the declaration also touches on terrorism in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.

"We strongly condemn organized crime and terrorism for their devastating effects on urban functions," the declaration says, pledging that the participating cities will share information on crisis management.

During a news conference, Ishihara and other participants emphasized the practical nature of the meeting, as opposed to conventional international meetings, which are often merely "ceremonial."

Most of the joint projects, however, lack substance. The aerospace initiative, for example, merely calls for further talks and appeals to national governments.

"We just agreed to take concrete steps from now on," Ishihara said when asked about the meeting's concrete achievements. "We have established a foundation and what kind of structure we build upon it will be the next step."

The ANMC 21 was proposed by Ishihara to tackle common issues such as the environment and urban planning.

Representatives from Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Delhi met in the Malaysian capital in August 2000 and agreed to hold the first meeting in Tokyo. The next plenary meeting is scheduled for Delhi in November 2002.