APEC makes for strange bedfellows on terror


Members question how much this week's APEC forum in Shanghai should devote to terrorism, an issue the U.S. wants to push

By Alex Frew McMillan CNN Hong Kong

SHANGHAI, China (CNN) -- The 21 nations gathering in Shanghai for the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum make for an odd tangle of allegiances.

The APEC forum is the biggest gathering of world leaders since the Sept. 11 strikes in the United States.

But with so many agendas at work, politically, economically and socially, they may find it hard to agree on much.

One issue that's certain to be addressed: terrorism. Rather like education or crime, it's an issue that politicians find easy to rally around.

But members have started to question whether it belongs as a topic of discussion at APEC, which devotes itself to trade and economic issues.

In a nod to its apolitical roots, it calls its 21 members "economies" rather than countries.

Declaration in the works

The United States is keen to nail down a statement condemning terrorism and affirming APEC nations' support in combating it.

In an unusual political situation, China and Russia find themselves on the same side of the table. They support a declaration drafted by the United States that condemns the Sept. 11 plane attacks.

The declaration calls for the 21 APEC countries to "unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001 as a profound threat to the peace, prosperity and security of all people, of all faiths, of every nation."


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China has written to the APEC member countries asking them to back the declaration. The draft goes on to state that the United Nations should play a major role in fighting terrorism.

It also stipulates greater cooperation between countries, including ratifying a convention aimed at hitting the financing of terrorism around the world.

"Leaders commit to strive to prevent and suppress terrorist acts in the future, and express their strong support for all efforts aimed at strengthening international anti-terrorist regimes, and call for early signing and ratification of the international convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism."

The agreement would solicit a commitment to stopping the flow of funds to terrorists, clamping down on money laundering, beefing up air security, and improving APEC's protection of important areas such as energy and telecommunications.

Muslim states in tricky spot

Condemning the Sept. 11 strikes seems easy enough, and in fact many of APEC's members did just that after they happened.

But the United States will struggle to get a lot more, with predominantly Muslim APEC members such as Indonesia and Malaysia condemning the ongoing U.S. retaliation in Afghanistan.

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad both face heavy pressure from staunch Muslims at home, and there have been anti-American demonstrations in both countries.

So while both leaders have backed the fight against terrorism, they will be tentative about agreeing to specifics or looking too tied to the U.S. stance.

At the other end of the spectrum stand APEC members such as Australia, which has pledged unequivocal support for the United States and has offered to send troops, and Canada, which has committed cash and operational support.

In between, virtually every nation has a quibble of its own.

There is more than meets the eye to China and Russia's support of the U.S. draft. Both countries are fighting internal battles against Muslim separatist movements of their own, and analysts say they will use the APEC summit to seek sympathy for those battles, if not support.

That promises to work the United States into an uncomfortable corner.

Throw in the militant Muslim movement in the Philippines, a difference of opinion between America and Russia on missile defense, testy political relations between Japan and both South Korea and China, as well as China and Taiwan, and there are plenty of political pitfalls.

Analysts say they expect a softly worded statement pledging "cooperation" against terrorism. It will be hard to get the 21 members to commit to specifics.

APEC's members are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

Several APEC members, including Japan, have voiced concern that talk about terrorism could dominate what is supposed to be a business meeting.

That has led the White House to state U.S. President George W. Bush is committed to free trade and will address that at APEC, while still seeking to solidify his alliance against terrorism.

The Chinese organizers note that the United Nations recently passed a resolution on fighting terrorism. So a similar agreement wouldn't be out of place at APEC, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya said on Monday.

But they are also keen to turn the focus back to business.

Qin Xiao, chairman of APEC's business-advisory council, has called on the leaders to work toward four trade and economic goals: scrapping tariffs, calling for a new round of World Trade Organization talks, monitoring financial risks worldwide, and taking a "balanced approach" to globalization and opening up markets.