APEC leaders face a new urgency to double efforts to promote free trade and strengthen technological co-operation among their economies.

The group, composed of 21 Asia-Pacific economies, is focusing more this year on implementing commercial policies and understandings agreed upon over the past decade.

That message could not be more clear: Mexico, hosting the week-long event in Los Cabos, has defined 2002 as "the Year of Implementation."

The year's theme is "expanding benefits of co-operation for economic growth and development; implementing the vision" of APEC's consensus on trade liberalization and technological co-operation.

While free trade remains the key focus, anti-terrorism will figure prominently on APEC's agenda.

APEC leaders will no doubt be discussing global their efforts to fight terrorism and the recent nightclub bombing in Bali, Indonesia's resort island, which left nearly 200 people dead and 300 injured.

A report outlining APEC member's actions in the fight against terrorism will be presented during the meeting.

That report is expected to detail efforts made by the forum's members to fight the terrorist threats outlined during last year's gathering in Shanghai.

"At APEC, we have set the twin goals of enhancing security against terrorist threats with the continued facilitation of the movement of goods, capital and people within the region," Alejandro de la Pena, executive director of the APEC Secretariat, said this week in Singapore.

US President George W. Bush, reportedly frustrated by terrorist threats both at home and abroad, is expected to push for tougher measures to crack down on terrorism.

Such measures reportedly include enforcing more effective baggage-screening measures, tightening immigration controls at airports, improving the screening of passengers on international flights, and reinforcing flight-deck doors on passenger aircraft.

Some member economies are worried the strict measures will be too expensive to implement and will hamper trade by slowing the flow of personnel, capital and goods.

APEC leaders will also have to deal with numerous non-traditional issues - including US corporate scandals and possible US military action against Iraq.

The high-profile US corporate scandals, which include accounting failures at Enron Corp and WorldCom, prompted APEC's senior officials to add the issue to the weekend's agenda.

The senior officials' meeting usually sets the stage - by preparing the agenda and documents - for the subsequent ministerial and leaders' meetings.

Aware such scandals shattered investors' faith and sent global markets nose-diving, APEC officials will discuss measures to strengthen accounting regulations and better monitor corporate practices.

The Iraq issue, a non-APEC topic, will most likely be discussed by APEC's members on the meetings' sidelines.

The Bush administration - which has threatened to seek a regime change in Iraq, by force if necessary - is trying to persuade the UN Security Council to adopt a new, tough resolution aimed at disarming Baghdad.

Bush is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend in an attempt to neutralize Moscow's strong opposition to such a resolution.

(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2002)