Speaking before departure for the 9th APEC leaders meeting held at Shanghai during October 19-21, Thaksin said he would have an opportunity to meet with the U.S. President George W. Bush during which an informal discussion on general issues might be held.

A formal discussion with the U.S. leader on the economic issue would be held when he pays an official visit the country at the end of next month.

The economic cooperation would be put high on the agenda of the meeting because the United States remains one of Thailand's major export destinations.

The premier said the main objective of the APEC meeting is to serve as a venue where leaders of APEC members could meet and get familiar with each other, which could lead to successful talks on trade cooperation.

I will take this opportunity to get used to leaders of APEC members because the familiarity will pave the way for the achievement of bilateral discussions on trade and investment cooperation in the future, he said.

On a possible discussion on the international terrorist act, Thaksin said, foreign ministers of APEC members reached a conclusion at their meeting that the issue and details of the joint communique by leaders of APEC members would be separately discussed.

Previously, Government Spokesman Yongyuth Tiyapairatch said the premier planned to raise three main issues for discussion when he meets with the leaders of APEC members and representatives of the Economic Advisory Council of the Private Sector.

They include the liberalization of trade and investment, the significance of regional economic stability and the strength of financial and banking sector, particularly the capital market, and the support of new economy development.

He said the premier would be honored to deliver a speech on Technology, of which details focus on the encouragement of technology development and the reduction of technical know-how gap.

(People's Daily 10/19/2001)