Скачать или смотреть NEW ZEALAND: APEC SUMMIT: ARRIVALS

(12 Sep 1999) Natural Sound

Leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation forum (APEC) gathered on Sunday for the last APEC summit of the millennium in New Zealand's capital city, Auckland.

They were met by the host country's Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley and treated to a colourful traditional Powhiri welcome by their hosts.

Although these leaders are primarily in Auckland to discuss continuing economic co-operation between their countries, the tensions in East Timor, the Taiwanese strait and the Korean peninsula are of much concern.

Conspicuous by his absence, the Indonesian President B.J Habibie, who was represented instead by the country's economics minister Ginandjar Kartasasmita.

Earlier the U-S president Bill Clinton had harsh words for Jakarta, accusing Indonesia's military of aiding and abetting the murdering militia who have created a humanitarian crisis in East Timor.

He told a gathering of business leaders in Auckland that the United States will fully support an Australian led peace keeping force to restore security in the territory.

It's expected the Australian Prime Minister John Howard who's also at the summit, will be seeking assurances of the same support from other leaders at the meeting.

President B.J. Habibie is scheduled to hold crucial talks with a U-N Security Council delegation and with Indonesia's military chief General Wiranto, on Sunday, seeking ways out of the crisis.

The leaders took advantage of being in the same place to discuss a range of issues outside economics and finance.

Meeting with the North Korean president Kim Dae Jeung earlier, Clinton discussed the situation in the Korean peninsula, with North Korea's threatened test missile launch looming.

While world leaders met, demonstrators rallied on the streets of Auckland to protest the pressure China is putting on Taiwan because of fears of an independence movement.

President Jiang Zemin, who held bilateral meetings with President Clinton and the Philippines President, Joseph Estrada, has said China cannot rule out military action against Taiwan if Taipei declares independence.

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