HARDtalk: Asia Series

Read more about Tim Sebastian's two weeks in Asia.

Terrorism in South-East Asia. That was the major theme of our swing round the region - and the HARDtalk special programmes being broadcast this week and next.

Are the governments doing enough? Does corruption get in the way. What kind of Islamic states do the religious parties envisage?

To listen to the responses, you would think the West is worrying about nothing, that the terrorists are being rounded up, and the finances blocked. Not so.

To date no major slice of terrorist funding has been cut anywhere in the region - and in many cases corruption seems to be impeding investigations.

Away from the politics we talked to the Singapore doctor who attempted to separate two Iranian women, joined at the head since birth. We heard of the friendship he established with them, of his last words to them - and the devastating silence that engulfed the operating theatre when the two died.

Our trip ended in Hong Kong with the first set of interviews we'd done since the handover in 1997. What was the mood following the major street demonstrations on July 1? Had Beijing kept to its agreements - and were the pro-democracy campaigners only interested in themselves? The answers may surprise you.

Tim Sebastian.

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 03:30 GMT, 08:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 18:30 GMT and 22:30 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 03:30 and 23:30