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SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister John Howard made a rare foray
Monday into the YouTube video-sharing world to urge protesters not
to overshadow a summit of Asia Pacific leaders in Sydney.
A huge security operation that has fenced off a
large part of the city center has frustrated residents here while
police are braced for big protests targeting US President George W.
Bush in particular.
Howard said the meeting, the biggest such event
Australia has ever hosted, was a chance to use the world spotlight
to focus attention on issues such as trade and climate change.
“Unfortunately, the extra security precautions
that are needed to be taken are a necessary part of hosting such
meetings in today’s world,” Howard said in his message.
“They are the fault of people who threaten
violence as part of their protest.”
The security operation includes roadblocks and a
steel and concrete wall 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) high that snakes 5.5
kilometers (3.4 miles) through the city and around iconic tourist
attractions such as the Sydney Opera House.
At the same time thousands of police,
counterterrorism and special forces are patrolling the streets, a
clampdown slammed by civil groups as excessive.
“There will be some individuals who want to
protest against APEC,” Howard added, referring to the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum.
“I simply ask them to stop for a moment and
consider that if they really are worried about issues such as
poverty, security and climate change, then they should support APEC
and not attack it.
“In the end, I’m confident that fair-minded
Australians will recognize the importance of this meeting.”
As well as Bush, other leaders due in Sydney
include presidents Hu Jintao of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia,
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the heads of state or
government from Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and
Thailand.
--AFP
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