John Howard Vietnam The Australian 16 November 2006

WEB ONLY: 16 nov 2006

John Stapleton

PRIME Minister John Howard is to fly out to Vietnam this afternoon for bilateral talks with some of Australia's key allies, including US President George Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao at this year's Asia Pacific. The meetings are part of the Asia Pacific Ecnomic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

Mr Howard said he would be discussing climate change, trade liberalisation and the war in Iraq.

``This year's APEC meeting has more than the usual significance not only for all the participating countries but for Austrailia,'' he said. ``It is a great opportunity to discuss cooperation in the region on climate change.

``I will discuss with all those with whom I have bilateralateral meetings, starting with President Bush and President Hu Jintao of China, climate change and energy security issues, which are linked.

``It's also an opportunity to renew our commitment as a group of countries to the trade liberalisation goals of APEC.''

Mr Howard said he would be discussing Iraq with the American President and reviewing tactics, but he had already ``stated very plainly for everybody to see and understand my view on their being no case for a fundamental change in strategy.''

Mr Howard said he would be discussing the situation in Iraq consistent with his previous comments. ``Obviously tactics must always be reviewed,'' he said.

The Prime Minister also said he did not expect there to be specific initiatives on cliamte change come out of this year's APEC meeting in Hanoi, but he did believe there was room for China and Australia to launch a joint initiative on clean coal technology.

Mr Howard said climate change would now be an issue for APEC meetings now and into the future.``I think climate change will be an issue because APEC brings together energy rich countries such as Canada and Australia and energy hungry countries such as Japan and China,'' he said.

He repeated previous statements that he had not signed the Kyoto on green gas emissions because it would disadvantage Australia. ``We did not sign Kyoto because it would disadvantage Australians,'' he said.

10 NOVEMBER 2006.

BRIEFED.

Hotel murder suspect caught in USONE of Australia's most wanted men has been arrested as an illegal immigrant in the US and now faces extradition to Australia to face murder charges.

US authorities became suspicious after Raphael Joseph, 30, under the assumed name Tony Toma, waived all his legal rights and wanted to be deported to Iraq. They then discovered he was wanted in Australia over the killing of Dimitri Debaz outside the Sefton Hotel in southwestern Sydney in 2002. The murder led to a string of retaliatory crimes.