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BANGKOK, Sunday (AFP) Global terrorism and the collapse of world trade talks will dominate this month's APEC summit, which is to be held under unprecedentedly tight security after a year of deadly attacks in Asia.

Summit host Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has admitted that despite a pressing agenda of economic issues, the terror threat will inevitably overshadow the October 20-21 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) talks.

"The topic of terrorism is unavoidable. There is no way that developed countries can discuss trade but not security because the economy and security go hand in hand," he said in a television interview to be aired Sunday.

"Terrorism destroys economic and human security, therefore we will talk on this issue and the United States will push for comprehensive cooperation in order that all countries realise terrorism is not only the US's problem."

APEC 2003 secretariat chief Tej Bunnag told AFP that the issue would take up to a third of the discussions between the 21 leaders attending the meeting including US President George W. Bush and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

"Southeast Asia is now very much aware that it is one of the fronts in the war against terrorism," he said, referring to last year's Bali nightclub bombing as well as revelations of attacks planned to disrupt the summit.

"These things will be discussed in the context of how they undermine secure trade because you cannot have stable international trade if it is always being undermined in a climate of fear of terrorism."

As the first major meeting of world leaders since the stunning collapse of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks in Mexico last month, the APEC summit is also poised to be the arena for a new showdown on international trading rules.

Breaking the deadlock between rich and poor nations, which is centred on disagreement over agriculture, and putting the Doha Round of free trade negotiations back on track will be a major goal of the Bangkok talks.Thaksin, who faces the biggest task of his career in guiding the debate, has said he is confident developed nations will make compromises on trade issues.

"The theme of this meeting is that although there are differences between developed and developing countries, they should work together and the rich must provide assistance so as not to worsen the plight of the poor," he said.

Leaders will also discuss the need for integration and structural reforms in the grouping which has pledged to dismantle all trade barriers to pave the way for free trade among developed members by 2010.

Other issues to be tackled include pressure on China to adopt a more flexible exchange rate system, fears of growing protectionism in the United States, an increasingly belligerent North Korea, plans for an Asian bond market, and the HIV-AIDS epidemic

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