The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) government expressed regrets over US government comments on its anti-money laundering measures in an official statement Friday.

The statement, issued by the MSAR government, said the government is highly concerned in regard to the recent accusation by Stuart Levey, the US Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI).

The US TFI official said in his report published on the web-page of the Treasury Department that Macao is a region "that needs significant improvement in its money laundering controls."

He also slamed the Macao-based bank of Banco Delta Asia in the report for its involvement in series of money-laundering cases.

In response, the MSAR government said that under the leadership of the Central Government, it has strictly observed the resolutions of the United Nations in relation to anti-terrorism and has dedicated efforts to deter and suppress illegal financial activities.

The Monetary Authority of Macao (MAM) of the MSAR exercises its supervision on all authorized financial institutions under a stringent regulatory framework, said the statement.

The MAM has already set up a special team to conduct probes into the Banco Delta Asia, it added.

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2005)