[asia-apec 698] Australian Deputy PM wants stability in Malaysia so APEC can go on

[PAN Asia Pacific]

>Monday September 21, 6:08 am Eastern Time
>
>APEC Malaysia summit at risk - Australia deputy PM
>
>CANBERRA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - A meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders scheduled
>for Kuala Lumpur in mid-November will be in jeopardy if political protests
>in the Malaysian capital increase or grow more violent, Australia's deputy
>prime minister said on Monday.
>
>``I have absolute fear that things might deteriorate very rapidly and that
>in turn will jeopardise the prospects of a constructive working meeting of
>APEC (the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum),'' Australian Deputy Prime Minister
>and Trade Minister Tim Fischer said.
>
>The 18-member Pacific Rim grouping is negotiating trade liberalisation in
>nine industry sectors, representing some $1.5 trillion in annual trade.
>
>Malaysian police on Monday fired teargas and water cannons on two separate
>occasions to disperse thousands of anti-government demonstrators in the
>centre of Kuala Lumpur, the third such demonstration in the city in 24
hours.
>
>Police arrested former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, who has spearheaded
>a movement for political reform, on Sunday after 30,000 supporters marched
>through the capital.
>
>Fischer told reporters while campaigning for Australia's October 3 general
>election that Asia's year-old economic crisis had already weakened the
>18-nation trade body.
>
>``APEC is in a fragile state due to the economic difficulties faced by
>Asia,'' Fischer said.
>
>Australia's political leaders earlier on Monday said they were concerned by
>the developments in Malaysia.
>
>Fischer was concerned the protests would turn more violent, threatening the
>APEC forum and associated meetings set for Kuala Lumpur.
>
>``We certainly don't want to see the holding of the APEC leader's summit
>and the build-up meetings to APEC in any way reduced by the turmoil on the
>Malaysian political scene,'' Fischer said.
>
>``I certainly hope it will be a peaceful circumstance over the next couple
>of months in Malaysia. I just don't want any threat to the holding of that
>APEC summit.''
>
>Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad sacked Anwar on September 2,
>calling him morally unfit.
>
>Anwar, 51, is under investigation for sodomy, treason, corruption and other
>crimes, but was detained under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, a sweeping
>law that provides for detention without trial. He had denied the
allegations.
>
>APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
>Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines,
>Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
>
>Malaysia is the 1998 APEC chairman. Russia, Peru and Vietnam will become
>members from November.
>