The leaders of Apec's 21 member nations will vow to dismantle terrorist organisations and halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, according to a draft copy of their declaration obtained yesterday.

"We agreed to dedicate Apec not only to ensuring the prosperity of our economies, but also to the complementary goal of ensuring the security of our people," said the draft copy.

The statement, to be released Tuesday after a two-day summit, pledges to "dismantle, fully and without delay, transnational terrorist groups whose operational and ideological reach threatens the Apec economies".

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders also vow to "eliminate the severe and growing danger posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery".

They said they would strengthen international non-proliferation regimes and export controls and take other "necessary measures" to achieve their goal, without mentioning any specific nations or terrorist groups.

Washington has made clear that US President George W Bush, who arrives today to attend the October 20-21 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, intends to push regional nations to stand strong against terrorism.

"They face real challenges, and this is an opportunity for the president to talk about that and to talk about practical ways that we might enhance cooperation," US national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said this week.

The draft declaration said Apec would "increase and better coordinate our counter-terrorism capacity building activities, such as through technical assistance between developed and developing Apec economies".

The grouping, which represents 2,8-billion people, said it would establish a partnership between Apec's Counter-Terrorism Task Force, the Counter-Terrorism Action Group of the G8, the United Nation's Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee and other relevant international organisations, the draft said. – Sapa-AFP.