[NYTr] Aussie PM in YouTube call for calm at APEC

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by Dave Muller (southnews)

Reuters - Sep 3, 2007

Australian PM in YouTube call for calm at APEC

By Michael Perry

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard used the 
internet site You-Tube on Monday to sell an Asia-Pacific leaders summit 
in Sydney this week, ahead of expected protests against global warming 
and the Iraq war.

Organizers anticipate violent demonstrations at the Asia Pacific 
Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, which will be attended by 21 
leaders including U.S. President George W. Bush, and are staging the 
nation's biggest ever security operation.

"There will be some individuals who want to protest against APEC," said 
Howard in an address broadcast on You-Tube.

"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," said Howard.

Green activists broke into an Australian power station in an APEC 
protest on Monday, forcing output to be reduced.

Four members of a group called "Real Action on Climate" chained 
themselves to a conveyor belt at the Loy Yang power plant in Victoria 
state, calling for an end to fossil fuel energy.

"This is the type of visionary action that the Asia Pacific Economic 
forum is unable to take. Their non-committal, aspirational targets are 
completely inadequate to stop dangerous climate change," said Michaela 
Stubbs, an activist spokeswoman.

Howard has made climate change a major issue at APEC, but has ruled out 
APEC setting binding greenhouse gas reduction targets, preferring 
instead "aspirational targets" for each nation.

"The big thing about APEC... is that it brings together in a manageable 
sized forum... the three biggest polluters in the world -- Russia, 
America and China," said Howard.

"I believe this year's APEC meeting can make a difference where it 
matters -- developing ideas and putting the region's full weight behind 
a truly global response," he said.

"We need to find ways to address the problem while allowing countries 
like China and Indonesia to continue to grow and prosper," Howard said.

Green groups and Australia's Labor opposition say APEC will be a
failure if it does not set greenhouse targets.

Australia and the United States are opposed to the Kyoto Protocol, 
arguing its binding greenhouse targets are flawed as major polluters, 
like India, are excluded from the protocol.

VIOLENT PROTESTS

Media reports that a manual for violent protests was being circulated
by protesters vindicated the major APEC security operation, said
authorities.

"There is very likely to be violent protests," said New South Wales 
state deputy premier John Watkins.

"If there is anti-social, criminal or violent behavior the police will 
move in strongly and they will make arrests."

Authorities have erected a 5-km (3-mile) security fence across the 
central business district (CBD) to isolate the leaders in the Sydney 
Opera House and nearby hotels.

Fighter aircraft and police helicopters are enforcing a
45-nautical-mile restricted air space over Sydney and will intercept
any unauthorized aircraft. A total of 5,000 police and troops are
patrolling the city centre.

Local media reported that three German tourists were forced by police
to delete digital photographs of the security fence.

"There is some concern amongst police that some of those protesters who 
are coming... will look for weak points in the fence," said Watkins.

"One of the things they are doing is a recce (reconnaissance) of the 
fence to find where they can attack it."

The first leader to arrive in Australia is Chinese President Hu Jintao, 
who lands in Western Australia state on Monday where he is expected to 
be greeted by a Falung Gong candlelight protest against human rights 
abuses in China.

U.S. President Bush arrives in Sydney on Tuesday night and protesters 
plan a rally at Sydney's Town Hall, with the major APEC protest march 
scheduled for Saturday, the first day of the leaders summit.

(Additional reporting by James Grubel in Canberra)