• Australian Leader, Kevin Rudd, said that Asia-Pacific region anticipates actions to face future challenges.

On the second day of meetings of the APEC 2008 CEO Summit, Leader of Australia, Kevin Rudd, called on the joint action of the Economies and the entrepreneurial class of the Asia-Pacific region, to address the possible consequences of the current global financial crisis.

Rudd gave this message to business leaders and opinion leaders of the Pacific Rim in the Convention Center auditorium of the Ministry of Defense, where he lectured on "Growth, equity and sustainable development: ideas for a future agenda of APEC."

He maintained that the beginning of the twenty-first century has been complicated for all APEC Economies and the rest of the world. However, it has to be taken calmly and with responsibly. "Amid the global crisis, we must not neglect important issues like human security, preservation of peace and prosperity, as well as climate change to reduce emissions of toxic gases" he added.

The Australian Leader said that the effects of the global financial crisis will be more severely felt in 2009, in both, developed and emerging economies and therefore urged the Asia-Pacific region Leaders to speak not only for solutions, but also to act effectively in an inner and outer matter.

He also noted that some of the more developed Member Economies of APEC have implemented strategies and measures to alleviate the financial crisis, such as People’s Republic of China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Australia. "Such actions are good, but all nations should do the same because we cannot act in isolation to counter the crisis. We are all involved in this situation", he said.

Rudd praised also the G-20 in Washington DC (United States) to find solutions to international economic hard times. It should be noted that Australia is part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Fora (APEC) since 1989.