APEC KL summit at risk: Australia deputy premier

APEC KL summit at risk: Australia deputy premier

CANBERRA (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 jeopardize 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 liberalization 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 center 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.