Global Security Issues to Dominate APEC Leaders Meeting

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, October 26, 2002

Global Security Issues to Dominate APEC Leaders Meeting

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In the wake of the deadly bombing in the Indonesian island of Bali, a series of terrorist attacks in the Philippines and the hostage-taking by Chechen separatists in Moscow, global security issues appear likely to dominate the 10th annual leaders meeting of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to be held here on Saturday and Sunday.

A two-day ministerial meeting leading up to the APEC leaders meeting, officially known as the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, ended here on Thursday with the adoption of a joint statement highlighting counter-terrorism.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of the ministerial meeting, Mexican Economy Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbes, the chairman of the meeting, said APEC foreign and trade ministers participating in the meeting condemned the recent terrorist attacks, including the hostage-taking by a group of Chechen rebelsin Moscow.

The recent attack in the Indonesian island of Bali, which killed more than 200 people on October 12, is a tragic reminder ofthe importance of maintaining an united, committed and sustained effort to ensure that terrorism does not prevent APEC from achieving its goals, the statement said.

At the APEC ministerial meeting on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said the international community must make continued efforts to strengthen cooperation in fighting all forms of terrorism.

Tang said that, as a major economic cooperation forum in the Asia-Pacific region, APEC should take further steps to extend anti-terror cooperation. He said APEC should strengthen customs inspection against terrorism, cut off funding sources for terrorists and ensure the safety of telecommunications on the basis of the anti-terror statement issued by APEC leaders in the 2001 APEC leaders meeting held in Shanghai.

The Chinese foreign minister reaffirmed that China has been deeply victimized by terrorism. China resolutely condemns and opposes all forms of terrorism, supports and earnestly implements relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and actively participates in all APEC anti-terror cooperation.

As a particular achievement of the ministerial meeting, APEC ministers recommended the adoption by APEC leaders of the Secure Trade in the APEC Region (STAR) initiative.

US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta told a press conference on Wednesday that the United States and other APEC members are working to develop the STAR initiative designed to expedite the movement of goods and people and simultaneously add anew layer of collective security.

Mineta said the STAR Initiative would heighten passenger safety within APEC by requiring the use of biometric technology, such as fingerprints, on all entry and exit travel documents, and establishing international standards for baggage and passenger screening. STAR also called for reinforced flight deck doors on all passenger aircraft by April 2003 -- one year earlier than required by other international agreements.

Sources from the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Xinhua that China actively supports the STAR initiative.

With the view of halting the flow of finance to terrorists while ensuring efficient financial markets, APEC ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the APEC Action Plan on Combating the Financing of Terrorism approved by the APEC Finance Ministers Meeting, said the joint statement after the meeting.

Because of the hostage-taking crisis at home, Russian President Vladimir Putin has canceled his attendance at the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting this year and instructed Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov to be present instead. US President George Bush will attend the economic leaders meeting and will push for greater participation of the Asian countries in the anti-terror campaign.

On the meeting sidelines, Bush is expected to hold one-to-one talks with many Asian leaders, including those from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia, on anti-terror efforts.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on Tuesday in Canberra he would discuss with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri progress in the investigation to catch the perpetrators behind the Bali bombing.

Although the theme of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting this year is "Expanding the Benefits of Cooperation for Economic Growthand Development -- Implementing Vision," global security issues appear likely to dominate the two-day meeting, and a statement with tough words on counter-terrorism is expected from the meeting.

APEC, set up in 1989 in response to the growing interdependenceamong Asia-Pacific economies and to the need to advance Asia-Pacific economic dynamism and sense of community, now groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

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