Leaders from Asia-Pacific convene for annual APEC gathering
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-18 10:43

Leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region will seek to promote free trade, unite in efforts to combat bird flu and agree to keep up the vigil against terrorism when they convene Friday for their annual summit.

The leaders' meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum set to open Friday brings together heads of state from its 21 member economies, including U.S. President George W. Bush, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Mexican President Vicente Fox, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top political figures.

China's President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with Kim Won-ki, speaker of the National Assembly, in Seoul, South Korea November 17, 2005.[Reuters]

The leaders are set to endorse a statement agreed upon earlier this week by APEC ministers that aims to foster progress in World Trade Organization talks set for next month in Hong Kong. That statement acknowledged "considerable divergences" and said "a clear roadmap" must be established if the current so-called Doha round of WTO talks is to succeed.

In their own statement, the leaders will give their support to free trade and also express strong concern about the threats of terrorism and bird flu, according to a draft of the document seen by The Associated Press.

U.S. President George W. Bush, right, meets with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Busan, South Korea, Friday, Nov. 18, 2005. Pictured from left to right: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Bush. [AP]

"Terrorism remains as a menacing threat to our world and we condemned terrorist acts that not only took thousands of lives but have also been aiming to destabilize the security of the region," the draft states.

Concerns over the possibility of a human pandemic spawned by bird flu have grown in recent days with China admitting its first human cases of the disease. Bush is expected to make bird flu a major focus, and APEC leaders are expected to agree to initiatives committing to boost their preparedness against a possible outbreak.

The leaders will come together for their first day of meetings at the BEXCO convention center in the South Korean port of Busan, and later be toasted by host South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun at an official dinner of Korean cuisine and enjoy a performance including traditional culture and Asian pop diva Boa.

Mexico's President Vincente Fox (C) arrives at a breakfast meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO summit in Pusan, South Korea, November 18, 2005.[Reuters]

On Saturday, they will conclude the summit at a newly built dome-roofed villa in a dramatic location on the South Korean shore that has been named the "Nurimaru" house _ a new Korean word meaning "pinnacle of the world," which it will become for the few hours the world leaders meet there.

Organizers have promised to bring tens of thousands of protesters into Busan's streets on Friday in opposition to APEC's free trade policies, and against Bush. Thousands of security forces have been deployed to keep any protesters far from APEC venues and protest against terrorism attacks.