Russia supports APEC summit agenda - Kremlin aide.

MOSCOW, November 14 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia fully supports the APEC
summit agenda towards sustainable development and stronger regional ties
proposed by Singapore as its president.

"We fully support the agenda proposed by the Singaporean presidency,"
presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said. "Its purpose is to look for ways
to overcome the global financial crisis, including through enhanced
regional cooperation, and to determine optimum models for post-crisis
development."
"A great deal of attention at the summit will be given to the issue of
forming a new international economic architecture. We consider the trip to
the APEC summit as a continuation of joint work with other economies to
jointly analyse the situation in the world economy and work out collective
and effective solutions that are required for the speediest recovery from
the global financial crisis," the official said.
"Russia is prepared to continue contributing constructively to APEC
efforts to deal with the crisis on the world financial markets, overcome
its effects and prevent such situations in the future. In order to solve
these complicated issues, we will need a broad and representative format
involving key world economies, such as the major developing countries in
the Asia-Pacific region," Prikhodko said.
According to the Kremlin aide "the topic of overcoming the crisis will
dominate the summit, but will not be the only one".
The Singapore forum will explore prospects for completing the Doha
round of trade negotiations within the framework of the World Trade
Organisation and facilitating regional economic integration.
"Russian shares the understanding of how important it is to continue
studying the idea of creating a free trade zone in the Asia-Pacific
region, which could become the forum's long-term benchmark. In so doing,
Russia would be prepared for dialogue on the liberalisation of trade on a
bilateral and multilateral basis, proceeding from the current state of and
prospects for the development of the national economy, our trade and
economic objectives and commitments to our partners, primarily those
within the framework of the Customs Union," Prikhodko said.
He noted that regional security issues might also be discussed in
Singapore.
"Russia favours closer cooperation in this field. Priorities include
the security of the individual, the fight against terrorism and organised
crime, better energy, transport, food, environmental, and information
security, and the ability to respond to emergencies, including epidemics
of dangerous infectious diseases," the Kremlin aide said.
He pointed out that joint work within the framework of the APEC
Counter-Terrorism Task Force was an important element of such cooperation.
Prikhodko is confident that Russia's participation in the APEC events
in Singapore will boost economic development of Siberia and the Russian
Far East.
"It is not incidental that Vladivostok has been chosen to host the
APEC summit in 2012 during the Russian presidency in the organisation.
Singapore's experience of preparing and holding such summits will
certainly be used," he said.
He said President Dmitry Medvedev would brief his APEC colleagues on
progress in the preparation of the Vladivostok Summit, Prikhodko said.
Replying to questions from mass media, Prikhodko said the summit was
unlikely to have a detailed discussion on piracy.
"This topic is not on the list of the declared priorities," he said.
"No collective decisions will be made on that score, but the issue may
be touched upon," Prikhodko said, adding that the APEC summit was not a
place for making such decisions.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum brings together 21
countries.

.Bigger int'l contingent in Afghanistan won't help if govt ineffective
-- FM.

MOSCOW, November 14 (Itar-Tass) -- It would make no sense to increase
the international contingent in Afghanistan if its government fails to
take effective measures to normalise the situation in the country, the
Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"The counter-terrorist operation in Afghanistan has been on for the
ninth year, but despite constant increases in the size of the foreign
military contingent that has about 100,000 troops in that country,
unfortunately there are no signs of improvement," Foreign Ministry
spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.
"The situation in the country remains complex. Moreover, it tends to
deteriorate further: terrorist activities increase, the area controlled by
the Taleban and other extremists has spread to relatively calm northern
regions of the country, the Taleban's allies from among non-Pashto groups
have become more active," he said.
It is also necessary to take measures aimed at reviving the economy
"with a focus on increasing employment and improving the well-being of
people", he added.
"Finally, it is important to have an effective government headed by an
authoritative national leader that would have the support of the majority
of people in Afghanistan. Only then can a turnaround in the war against
terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan become a reality," Nesterenko said.
-0-zak/