``At 22, the ARF's membership already risks becoming unwieldy,'' Albright said in a speech distributed at the 22-member forum, now in its sixth year.

``And aside from North Korea, no other appropriate applicants exist within the East Asia/Oceania region,'' she said, without singling out individual applicants by name.

She said North Korea can join whenever it is ready.

India, has strongly campaigned for Pakistan's exclusion from the ARF. New Delhi became a member three years ago.

China, Japan and Singapore are among the countries that have at one time or another called for Pakistan's admission to the ARF.

At the third ARF in Jakarta in 1996, members agreed to admit only those countries that can demonstrate they have ``an impact on the peace and security of thegeographical footprint of key ARF activities.''

Not all ARF members are from East Asia or Oceania; the group also includes the European Union (EU).

Britain and France have also sought membership of the forum.

ARF includes the 10 ASEAN members plus Australia, Canada, China, the EU, India, Japan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Korea and the United States. Mongolia was admitted last year.