Asian and Pacific leaders have called for the European Union to show more flexibility in global trade talks to open world markets. Leaders of the 21 members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum made the call at the end of their two-day summit in Busan, South Korea Saturday, in response to the EU refusal to make further cuts in farm import tariffs.
The joint statement issued at the end of the APEC summit also included a pledge to bolster cooperation in the fight against the spread of bird flu. The leaders have agreed to stage a drill next year to test their nations' planned responses to an outbreak. The delegates also agreed that anti-terrorism measures should comply with international law, and they called for further "substantive" developments in six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear-weapons program. Heads of state at the summit included the presidents of the United States, China and Russia.