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NK dominates final summit talks Apec 'concern' at N Korea threat
(about 4 hours later)
US President George W Bush is courting more support from Asia-Pacific leaders for UN sanctions against North Korea as a regional summit enters its final day. Asia-Pacific leaders have expressed "strong concern" over North Korea's nuclear weapons test, calling it a clear threat to regional security.
Mr Bush met Chinese President Hu Jintao early on Sunday and will meet Russia's Vladimir Putin later. Neither is keen to take a strong line on North Korea. In a statement read out at the end of the Vietnam summit, the leaders urged Pyongyang to honour commitments not to pursue the development of atomic bombs.
The 21 leaders at the summit, held in Vietnam, will also discuss ways to tackle bird flu and the Aids epidemic. US President George W Bush has been seeking support at the summit for UN sanctions against North Korea.
They said on Saturday they were ready to end a deadlock in world trade talks. He is trying to persuade Chinese and Russian leaders to take a tougher line.
In a joint statement, heads of state and government of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) member states said they were ready to move beyond their current positions. Mr Bush met Chinese President Hu Jintao early on Sunday, and is seeing Russian President Vladimir Putin later.
They said they had committed themselves to cuts in agricultural subsidies, the main issue which stalled the so-called Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks in July. Meanwhile, the US and Russia have signed a bilateral trade agreement that opens the way for Russia to join the World Trade Organisation.
Compromise predicted It has taken 10 years for the two sides to reach this agreement, and correspondents say the accord is a powerful vote of confidence in Russia's investment climate.
The BBC's Bill Hayton in Hanoi says that while trade was the focus of Saturday's talks, issues of regional security are on the agenda for Sunday and have already dominated discussions on the sidelines. 'No setback'
The BBC's Bill Hayton in Hanoi says that while trade was the focus of Saturday's talks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec), issues of regional security were on the agenda for Sunday.
They have already dominated discussions on the sidelines, he says.
Japan's Shinzo Abe and Mr Bush had their first bilateral meetingJapan's Shinzo Abe and Mr Bush had their first bilateral meeting
The US has already gained strong support from South Korea and Japan for its stance on North Korea, he says, but it has still to get China and Russia firmly on board. A joint statement on North Korea was read out behind closed doors on Sunday because of some members' sensitivities about interference in other countries.
However, US diplomats are confident that a compromise statement can be worked out, our correspondent says. "We express our strong concern over the 4-5 July missile launches and 9 October nuclear test conducted [by North Korea], which poses a clear threat to our shared interest of peace and security and our shared goal of achieving a nuclear weapons-free Korean peninsula," it was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.
The US denied that the oral statement was a setback for the White House.
"The statement was very firm in the need for full implementation," National Security Council spokesman David McCormick told the agency.
"What was important was that the members of Apec came together on a common statement."
Washington wants to reach a consensus over how to deal with North Korea so that it can present a united front at the next round of six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons programme, expected to take place next month.Washington wants to reach a consensus over how to deal with North Korea so that it can present a united front at the next round of six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons programme, expected to take place next month.
Mr Bush held bilateral meetings with both South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday.Mr Bush held bilateral meetings with both South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday.
The meeting was the US president's first with Mr Abe since he took power in October. The two leaders agreed to pursue a ballistic missile defence programme against the threat from North Korea. Deadlock broken
Closer integration The 21 leaders at the summit will also discuss ways to tackle bird flu and the Aids epidemic.
Other security-related issues - such as how to tackle a bird flu pandemic and the Aids crisis - will also be discussed on Sunday, with Apec members seeking to share expertise and best practice.
Talks on how to make Apec more effective will be held too.Talks on how to make Apec more effective will be held too.
History lessons on Hanoi's streets for President BushIn pictures Mr Bush is expected to announce extra funding intended to give the organisation new tools to promote economic integration in the region. History lessons on Hanoi's streets for President BushIn pictures They said on Saturday they were ready to end a deadlock in world trade talks.
In a joint statement, the Apec heads of state and government said they were ready to move beyond their current positions.
They said they had committed themselves to cuts in agricultural subsidies, the main issue which stalled the so-called Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks in July.
Mr Bush is expected to announce extra funding intended to give the organisation new tools to promote economic integration in the region.
The US president began the final day of the summit by attending a church service, with his wife Laura and 400 parishioners.The US president began the final day of the summit by attending a church service, with his wife Laura and 400 parishioners.
The act was symbolic, our correspondent says, because last week the US state department dropped Vietnam from its list of countries of concern over religious freedoms.The act was symbolic, our correspondent says, because last week the US state department dropped Vietnam from its list of countries of concern over religious freedoms.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used her speech to the forum on Saturday to appeal for the removal of trade barriers in the region, praising Vietnam for seeking closer ties with the US.
She urged North Korea and Burma to follow Hanoi's example in putting former conflict with the US behind it.
The end of the summit will be marked by a photocell for the 21 leaders and a declaration from Vietnam, the host, setting out the non-binding agreements reached by the leaders on a range of issues.The end of the summit will be marked by a photocell for the 21 leaders and a declaration from Vietnam, the host, setting out the non-binding agreements reached by the leaders on a range of issues.