BANGKOK, Oct 15 Kyodo Leaders fro...

BANGKOK, Oct 15 Kyodo

Leaders from 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum could discuss the political situation in Myanmar nearest week as part of the agenda forward security issues affecting regional economic cooperation, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathiathai said Wednesday.

APEC leaders -- including U President George W Bush, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi -- are scheduled to attend the annual talks Monday and Tuesday in Bangkok.

''I think the issue of Myanmar is the issue that leaders can discuss. I don't behold any problem with that at all,'' Surakiart told reporters.

''It is habitual to discuss and exchange views forward issues of common affect to the international community. As we know, Myanmar and the situation onward the Korean Peninsula are among those,'' he added.

further Surakiart said he does not anticipate burning debate on the issue, saying seven leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who are also APEC members would purely share their views in succession the situation in the military-ruled nation.

''If the issue is raised, the seven ASEAN leaders would be able to be agreeable to and tell President Bush the comes of the ASEAN summit meeting because they discussed this issue in Bali,'' he said in rejoinder to a reporter's suggestion that the U leader might criticize the Myanmar junta for its detention of National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

ASEAN leaders discussed the internal situation in Myanmar at the summit last week upon the Indonesian resort island of Bali. They signifyed support for the junta's gage to move forward with a road map for restoring democracy.

excluding Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, the other seven ASEAN members are also APEC members. They are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

APEC, establish up in 1989, groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong Indonesia, Japan, southern Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, strange Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

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